Lethbridge Minute: Canada Day, Snow Removal, and Festival Square Celebrations

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

This Week In Lethbridge:

• There are no meetings scheduled at City Hall this week. Happy Canada Day everyone!
  
  
• Speaking of Canada Day, celebrations will return to Henderson Park and Galt Gardens on Friday after a two-year hiatus due to COVID-19, a return to the more familiar Lethbridgian Canada Day event we know and love. The celebrations are set to kick off at the north east end of Henderson Park at 12:00 pm. There will be plenty to do for all in attendance, with activities such as live performances, a kids’ zone, a food hub, and fireworks.
  
  
• The City of Lethbridge is reminding property owners that their property taxes for 2022 are due on June 30th. Residents who haven’t received their property tax notices are advised to contact 311 right away.ll unpaid balances as of July 1st will incur a 7% penalty, even if homeowners have yet to receive their notices. It's funny how we don't get a 7% refund when the City is late with something though, isn't it? Those new pickleball courts aren’t going to pay for themselves…

Last Week In Lethbridge:

• A three-day ‘Lighting Up Festival Square’ event kicked off with an official ribbon-cutting ceremony. Although the rain dampened the mood by leading to the cancellation of several events, the City’s Urban Revitalization Manager hailed the event as a major success and said that Festival Square will go a long way to contribute toward investment in the city’s downtown for years to come. What do you think? Did the City get it right, or do you think it will be a waste of taxpayer money?
  
  
• City Council voted unanimously to make changes to its snow, ice, and street sweeping service levels. Changes will see less snow removal and more residential plowing with current service levels for street sweeping expected to stay the same. City Administration will monitor service levels and budget impacts and report back to the Civic Works Standing Policy Committee in the spring of 2025.
  
  
• According to the National Rent Report, rent prices in Lethbridge have increased, fuelled by inflation and low vacancy rates. The average cost for a one-bedroom apartment is $1,043, an increase of roughly 9% when compared to the average price for a one-bedroom apartment last May. For a two-bedroom apartment, there has been a year-over-year increase of 14.2%. The cost to purchase a home is out of reach for many, meaning there will only continue to be more demand on the rental market - all the more reason to continue to advocate for an increased supply of housing and better tax rates.

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