Le parc de la Cité — le poumon vert de Brossard, été comme hiver.
1. Parc de la Cité — Brossard's green heart
Parc de la Cité is Brossard's largest municipal park. It spans nearly 100 hectares, with a large lake, walking trails, bike paths, picnic areas, children's play structures, and an outdoor amphitheatre.
This is where the city hosts its summer festivals, free concerts and fireworks. Entry is free and there is no parking fee.
2. Other parks worth discovering
Brossard has more than 100 neighbourhood parks. A few worth exploring:
- Parc Sorbonne — soccer and baseball fields, kids' play structures
- Parc Notre-Dame — large grassy area, popular for family gatherings
- Parc Poliquin — outdoor skating rink heavily used in winter
- Parc Marie-Victorin — bike paths and river access
You'll find the full list and each park's facilities on brossard.ca.
3. Main parks at a glance
Here is a summary of Brossard's most-visited parks with their main facilities.
All Brossard municipal parks are free to access and parking is not metered. You will find the full list of more than 100 neighbourhood parks and real-time facility status on brossard.ca.
| Park | Main facilities | Peak season |
|---|---|---|
| Parc de la Cité | Lake, trails, bike paths, amphitheatre, skating loop | Year-round |
| Parc Sorbonne | Soccer and baseball fields, kids' play structures | Summer |
| Parc Notre-Dame | Large grassy area, family gatherings | Summer |
| Parc Poliquin | Outdoor skating rink | Winter |
| Parc Marie-Victorin | Bike paths, river access | Year-round |
4. Organized sports and registration
If you want to play in a league or sign your kids up for a sport, several sports associations work with the City of Brossard: minor hockey, soccer, baseball, swimming, gymnastics, martial arts.
Registration opens on specific dates, several months before the season starts. Like for workshops, you register through the BCITI portal or 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 maintains several outdoor skating rinks for free and a skating loop at parc de la Cité.
Cross-country ski and snowshoe trails are also groomed and marked. Parc Marie-Victorin provides river access for ice walks when conditions are safe.
Park warm-up chalets, open on weekends, let you warm up between outings.
6. The bike network
Brossard is very well served by bike paths. The local network spans more than 100 kilometres and connects to the Route verte, the great trail that crosses Quebec.
You can reach Longueuil, Saint-Lambert, and even downtown Montreal via the Samuel-De Champlain bridge — a dedicated bike path runs across it. Bikes are not allowed on the REM during rush hour, but are allowed off-peak and all weekend.
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. The parks, walking trails, bike paths and outdoor skating rinks of Brossard are free to access for everyone — no card or registration needed.
The BCITI card becomes necessary when you want to register for an organized municipal activity: a city sports league, swim lessons at a pool, or an art workshop. So entry is free, but registration for activities requires BCITI.
When does registration for municipal sports open?
Registration opens on specific dates, several months before the season starts. The exact dates change each year and depend on the sport — minor hockey, soccer, baseball, swimming, gymnastics and martial arts each have their own calendar.
Spots are limited and popular sports fill up quickly. Practical advice: subscribe to the City of Brossard's leisure newsletter or check brossard.ca every two weeks during the months before the season starts.
How do I know if a rink or trail is open in winter?
The City of Brossard publishes the state of trails and rinks online. Check the brossard.ca page on the state of trails and rinks before going out — it is updated based on weather conditions and ice thickness.
In particular, the river ice walks at parc Marie-Victorin are only open when the ice is safe; never venture out on the river without checking. You can also call the info-leisure line at 450 923-6311.
How much does parc de la Cité cost to enter?
Entry is free and parking is free as well. The parc de la Cité is the largest municipal park in Brossard, with nearly 100 hectares — open to the public year-round, no entry fee and no parking meter.
The summer festivals, free concerts and fireworks organized by the city in the park are also free. Specific organized activities (sports league, paid workshop) may have their own fees, but everyday use of the park costs nothing.
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 pages:
You can also call the info-leisure line at 450 923-6311.
Author's Note: The secret to enjoying winter in Brossard is to go outside instead of avoiding it. An hour of free skating on Saturday morning changes the whole week. And in summer, the parc de la Cité offers the best free fireworks on the Rive-Sud.
