A new Summer Express transit route will take riders from Selkirk Crossing to Selkirk Park and Selkirk Pool in 20 minutes or less, and when your day is done, the express bus will take you back.
The Summer Express pilot begins on July 27 and runs Monday to Saturday from 11am to 5pm.
Approved as a pilot project in the 2026 budget, Mayor Larry Johannson says getting people to Selkirk Park quickly was a priority.
“We have an incredible greenspace and amenities in Selkirk Park. We’re so proud of our park and want everyone to enjoy it so providing a service that gets people there quickly is important to council,” Johannson said.
“We want the park, and the pool, to be available to as many citizens as possible. Some folks don’t have a car so offering a bus route with fewer stops that can get them there in less than 20 minutes is an additional service we’re excited to pilot. The addition of the Summer Express also means some of our busiest bus stops will have more frequent service during the summer time because the regular bus will stop and so will the express.”
Another enhancement to the Selkirk Transit service
The regular transit route does not go into Selkirk Park, but the summer route, which will operate until Aug. 31, does. This pilot project, funded by the City of Selkirk, is yet another project this year to test service enhancements to Selkirk Transit, following the successful launch of NextStop, the free youth transit program.
“We wanted to provide a shorter route that will get people into Selkirk Park for the summer months. We know lots of people spend time at the pool, there are people who spend their entire summer in the campgrounds and the service will provide a quick way for them to get around without using their vehicle,” said Charlene Dunning, Selkirk Transit’s Manager of Transportation Services.
“We started offering NextStop in June, which gives students free rides on transit and this is the next step to getting more people using the bus. NextStop passes will be accepted on the Summer Express route as well. Selkirk Transit Pass holders can access Summer Express with the same pass. For casual riders, the Summer Express is just $2 a ride, it’s affordable, it’s good for the environment, and it allows people who might not have a vehicle to quickly get from the park to shopping and back.”
Selkirk Transit along with these initiatives align with the city’s Community Strategic Plan in more ways than one. Priority 4 that calls for smooth operation of transportation systems and Priority 5 which promotes environmental stewardship and helps citizens make good choices.
Service details and route information
The Summer Express loop uses a portion of the regular transit route and will feature pickups approximately every 40 minutes. Riders can request a transfer ticket that is valid for connecting between the regular route and the Summer Express route to get riders closer to their destination. The express route starts at Selkirk Crossing and makes 15 stops on the way to the Selkirk Park Pool, travelling down Manitoba Avenue to Annie Street, Vaughan Avenue to Sophia Street, Rosser Avenue to Main Street and arrives at Selkirk Park Pool & Splash Pad. The return route is 13 stops. Each stop on the Summer Express route is identified with a sign at the stop showing the next scheduled pickup time and stops are numbers as S1 through S27
Dunning says they looked at their ridership and built the Summer Express route using some of their most used stop locations. This will provide a more frequent service for some riders who’s pick and destination are on the summer route.
Selkirk Transit Authority was established in June 2011 and has provided more than 500,000 rides while maintaining a fare of just $2 per ride. In 2015, the service expanded to include Selkirk Mobility.
Both services are award winning, with Selkirk Transit earning the Selkirk Biz Customer Service Award in 2018 and Mobility being recognized in 2017 by the Biz as New Business of the Year and snagging the Customer Service Award.
For more information on Selkirk Transit and the summer route, visit MySTA.ca/SummerExpress.
