Martensville’s biggest outdoor car show next month will allow automotive enthusiasts plenty of elbow room to check out the dozens of vintage vehicles expected to line the city’s main drag.
The A&W 100 Valley Street Stock Show and Shine is slated for the late morning and afternoon of Saturday, September 9. It’s one of the events leading up to the feature race that evening at Sutherland Automotive Speedway.
Every year since the tradition began, partial lane restrictions have been put in place on Centennial Drive to allow parking of vintage vehicles along the busy street. Pedestrians are then able to check out the chrome classics and performance stock cars without having to dodge traffic.
Martensville City Council is expected to pass a resolution allowing lane restrictions on Centennial Drive North for the event at its upcoming council meeting on Tuesday, August 15. A proposal to that effect was discussed by council at its committee of the whole meeting on Tuesday, August 8.
In a report to the August 8 council meeting, Martensville Economic Development Officer Dillon Shewchuk said the outdoor car show is a popular draw, not just for Martensville residents, but for car enthusiasts from across the region.
Shewchuk said there are typically between 80 to 110 cars every year at the show. He noted that as more commercial businesses become established along Centennial Drive, there has been a corresponding increase in both vehicle and pedestrian traffic along the street.
“Development on both sides of Centennial has made lane closure and traffic control a challenge,” said Shewchuk in his report. But, he added, the event has been held safely so far and its popularity is increasing every year.
Shewchuk said the lane restrictions will still allow traffic to flow in both directions on Centennial Drive, and no accesses to businesses will be blocked. In addition, the new mid-block lighted crosswalk will add to pedestrian safety.
In addition to parking along Centennial Drive, show vehicles will also be displayed in parking lots at businesses on the east side of Centennial Drive. The car show typically runs from 9:00 a.m. to 3:00 p.m., with the feature race at the speedway in the evening.