Lethbridge Minute: Bridge Construction, Transit Update, and Canada Day Festivities

Lethbridge Minute - Your weekly one-minute summary of Lethbridge politics

This Week In Lethbridge:

• Happy Canada Day! There will be family-friendly events at Galt Gardens from 9:00 am to 4:00 pm, including a charity breakfast, food trucks, live entertainment, and an artisan market. At Henderson Lake, festivities start at 11:00 am and feature live performances and a youth market, with fireworks scheduled for 11:00 pm, weather-permitting. The City will provide free transit all day, including shuttle services in the evening, to alleviate parking concerns. For more details, visit the City of Lethbridge website.
  
  
• The Assets and Infrastructure Standing Policy Committee will meet on Thursday at 1:30 pm. The Committee will receive a presentation on potential amendments to the Piers Outline Plan. These amendments include moving the storm pond westward to utilize the landscape better, consolidating park spaces for improved activities, and allowing for increased density in development. The Committee will also receive a submission from the Chinese National League Society (CNLS), who own 309 2 Ave S in downtown Lethbridge. They propose developing it into a pocket park and donating it to the City. The site previously housed the historic Chinese National League building, demolished due to safety concerns, and now CNLS aims to preserve Chinese community history and stimulate Chinatown's revitalization.
  
  
• Starting tomorrow, a bridge rehabilitation project will begin on the westbound side of Whoop-Up Drive. The project, which focuses on repairing the concrete deck surface and the west approach slab, aims to ensure the bridge's long-term integrity. While work is ongoing, two westbound lanes will remain open, with speed limits reduced to 60 km/h on Whoop-Up Drive and 50 km/h in active work zones.

Last Week In Lethbridge:

• ​​The University of Lethbridge announced plans to develop the "South Campus Lands," a 100-acre property near the Community Sports Stadium and Riverstone subdivision. The project will feature residential homes, commercial spaces, and a park. An initial vision was shared at an open house, with draft designs expected in two months. Development is set to begin in 2025 and may take up to 20 years to complete.
  
  
• Council received an update on Lethbridge Transit. The update noted record-high ridership and a $1.3 million financial improvement from 2022-2023. Ridership rose 31% between 2022 and 2023, and another 35% from 2023 to March 2024, resulting in a $312,000 surplus for 2023 after years of deficits. Council decided to reinvest annual surpluses back into Transit and Access-a-Ride services to enhance operations. The City also plans to establish an advisory committee for ongoing feedback and guidance for the Transit department.
  
  
• The Lethbridge Police Service unveiled a new logo that represents its values in the Blackfoot language, a project initiated by summer student Trissly Blackwater. Inspired by her Blackfoot values, Blackwater spent two years ensuring the project was conducted respectfully, consulting Blackfoot Elders to translate key values. Blackfoot artist Ina Old Shoes, chosen to create the logo, overcame initial skepticism about the police's motives, emphasizing the need for genuine reconciliation. The logo, featuring the symbol of the pipe, aims to foster mutual respect and understanding between the police and the First Nations community.

-----

Donate:

Common Sense Lethbridge doesn't accept any government funding and never will. We think you should be free to choose, for yourself, which organizations to support. If you're in a position to contribute financially, you can make a donation here.

-----

Share:

If you're not in a position to donate, we understand, but if you appreciate our work, you can help by spreading our message. Please forward this email to your friends, follow us on Facebook and Twitter, and help make sure every Lethbridgian knows what's really going on at City Hall.