Fatal collision

A 42-year-old Roblin man died after a semi-truck hit the van he was driving on Monday afternoon.

Roblin RCMP responded to a report of a two-vehicle collision about six kilometres northwest of Roblin at around 1:45 p.m.

Mounties believe the semi-truck was travelling west on Road 153 North and hit a van travelling north on Provincial Road 484, RCMP said in a news release.

The intersection has stop signs for eastbound and westbound traffic.

When officers got to the scene, they found a semi-truck flipped over blocking the road, while the van had significant damage, RCMP said.

The van driver died at the scene. The semi-truck driver — a 31-year-old Roblin man — was taken to the hospital in serious but non-life-threatening condition, Mounties said.

Roblin RCMP are investigating the cause of the collision.

Road closure

The city plans to permanently close one block of 11th Street East later this year.

City council approved the closure on Monday. The land will be sold to a nearby property owner.

The block — situated between McTavish and Van Horne avenues in the industrial section of the city — is technically a public roadway but appears to be part of the lot for Gardewine, a trucking company.

The gravel strip is fully connected to Gardewine’s property and is only differentiated by a yield sign at the intersection with Van Horne Avenue.

Brandon’s acting general manager of development services said the sale is beneficial for both the property owner and the city.

The road is only used by a couple of nearby property owners, Ryan Nickel said.

Nickel said the sale allows the owner to use the land as it wants, and the city doesn’t have to maintain the sparsely used road anymore.

“It’s a mutually beneficial opportunity,” Nickel said.

He said the single block of road will officially be turned over in the next couple of months as land titles registers the transfer.

Nickel wouldn’t share the cost of the sale as it is confidential under the city’s real estate policy.

The Sun was unable to reach a Gardewine representative before press time on Tuesday.

Bike race fundraiser

The Cerebral Palsy Association of Manitoba says it’s grateful 789 people participated in stationary bike races in Brandon and Winnipeg this spring to help raise funds.

The 37th annual Mission: Possible bike race took place on May 30 at Blue Cross Park in Winnipeg, while the Westman race was held on April 18 at the Keystone Centre, a news release said on Tuesday.

The Westman race had 15 teams and more than 240 riders, said David Kron, the non-profit’s executive director.

The Cerebral Palsy Association of Manitoba has raised more than $334,000 so far this year, which goes toward new equipment such as adaptive bikes and communication devices and providing scholarships and respite care, he said.

People’s generosity to donate means the non-profit can continue its mission to support Manitobans affected by cerebral palsy, Kron said. People can still donate to the fundraiser until the end of August.

Cerebral palsy is a group of neurological disorders that affect movement, balance and posture. It’s caused by damage to a baby’s brain most often during pregnancy with symptoms appearing during infancy or in pre-school years.

» The Brandon Sun