1. The Grand parc urbain — Brossard's green heart
The Grand parc urbain is a park of over 4 million square feet that the City of Brossard began creating in 2018, unique in its size and natural environment. It has walking and cycling paths, a play area and water games, ponds, a disc-golf course, a sledding hill and a parking lot.
Like all Brossard parks, it is open daily, 7 a.m. to 11 p.m.. In winter, cross-country ski trails are groomed there; their status is posted on the cross-country skiing conditions page.
2. Other parks worth discovering
Brossard has more than 350 parks and green spaces. A few worth exploring:
- Parc Sorbonne — soccer and baseball fields, play area and water games (list of active parks)
- Parc Victorin — outdoor rink with boards and an ice pond in winter
- Parc Vanier — frozen ice ring and a rink with boards
- Bioparc (Centre de plein air) — access to the Bois de Brossard and cross-country ski trails
You'll find the full list of parks and their facilities on brossard.ca.
3. Main parks at a glance
Here is a summary of Brossard's most-visited parks with their main facilities.
Brossard parks are open daily, from 7 a.m. to 11 p.m., and the state of outdoor rinks is posted online on brossard.ca.
| Park | Main facilities | Peak season |
|---|---|---|
| Grand parc urbain | Walking and cycling paths, water games, disc golf, sledding hill | Year-round |
| Parc Sorbonne | Soccer and baseball fields, play area, outdoor rink | Year-round |
| Parc Victorin | Rink with boards, ice pond | Winter |
| Parc Vanier | Frozen ice ring, rink with boards | Winter |
| Bioparc (Centre de plein air) | Access to the Bois de Brossard, cross-country ski trails | Year-round |
4. Organized sports and registration
If you want to play in a league or sign your kids up for a sport, the City of Brossard offers municipal programs and local associations: hockey, soccer, baseball, volleyball and more, plus swimming lessons.
Registration opens on set dates each session, first for residents, then for non-residents for the remaining spots. You need a valid bciti+ leisure subscription, or you register directly with the sports association. Spots are limited and popular sports fill up quickly.
5. Winter activities
Winter in Brossard doesn't mean staying home. The City offers 2 ice rings, 9 ice ponds and 10 outdoor rinks with boards.
Cross-country ski trails are also laid out at the Grand parc urbain and the Bioparc, and the Grand parc urbain has a sledding hill.
Outdoor rinks open and close with the weather: check their status before you go, on weekdays as on weekends.
6. The bike network
Brossard is very well served by bike paths. The local network offers more than 65 kilometres of multi-purpose trails and connects to the Route verte, the great trail that crosses Quebec.
You can reach the surrounding cities, and Montreal via the multi-purpose trail of the Samuel-De Champlain bridge. On the REM, a pilot project now allows bikes at all times, but not electric bikes.
7. Frequently asked questions
The most common questions from new Brossard residents about parks and leisure: whether the BCITI card is needed for outdoor rinks, when registration for city sports opens, how to check whether a rink or trail is open, and what entry costs for parc de la Cité.
Do I need a BCITI card to use the rinks and parks?
No. Brossard's parks, trails, bike paths and outdoor rinks are open to everyone without registration — the only posted condition for skating is a mandatory helmet for children 8 and under.
The bciti+ leisure subscription becomes necessary when you want to register for most of the City's activities and programs: a sports league, swim lessons or an art workshop. So access is free, but registration for activities requires bciti+.
When does registration for municipal sports open?
Registration opens on set dates each session, first for residents, then for non-residents for the remaining spots. The exact dates change each session and depend on the activity — aquatic activities, sports and music lessons each have their own calendar.
Spots are limited and popular sports fill up quickly. Practical advice: create your bciti+ account ahead of time and check the registration page regularly in the weeks before a session.
How do I know if a rink or trail is open in winter?
The City of Brossard publishes the state of its facilities online. Check the arenas and outdoor rinks page before going out — it shows, for each rink, whether it is open that day.
Cross-country ski trails and the sliding slope have their own conditions page. You can also call Services Brossard at 450 923-6311.
How much does parc de la Cité cost to enter?
Note first: parc de la Cité is not actually in Brossard — it's a large park in the Saint-Hubert borough of Longueuil, a short drive away, and is operated by the City of Longueuil, not Brossard. It's popular with Brossard residents because of the proximity, but events and upkeep there are Longueuil's — check its hours, activities and any fees on longueuil.quebec, not brossard.ca.
If you're looking for a big park that's actually in Brossard, look at the Grand parc urbain, built in phases since 2018, and the Bois de Brossard, part of which is a nature reserve.
8. See also
To make the most of Brossard year-round:
- Read surviving the Quebec winter to prepare the right gear before the first deep cold.
- Get the BCITI Brossard card needed to register for municipal sports activities.
- Prepare your outings with getting around Brossard (REM, RTL and OPUS) to reach parc de la Cité car-free.
9. Official sources
For official, up-to-date information, see these sites:
You can also call the City of Brossard at 450 923-6311.
Author's Note: The secret to enjoying winter in Brossard is to go outside instead of avoiding it. A little free skating on the weekend changes the whole week.
