Lethbridge Minute: Drinking Stations, Scavenger Hunt, and London Road Park

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

This Week In Lethbridge:

• Councillors will be in Calgary attending the annual Federation of Canadian Municipalities conference. The only meeting scheduled is a meeting of the Priorities and Agenda Review Committee - no agenda is available yet.
  
  
• The Parks and Playground Passport, organized by the City of Lethbridge Parks and Cemeteries department, is back as a scavenger hunt-style activity. Participants can explore eight different parks and playgrounds, and the passports to log your journey can be printed off online or picked up at Lethbridge City Hall. Completed passports, showcasing visits to all eight locations, can be submitted for a chance to win swag or family passes for activities like swimming, skating, and visits to Fort Whoop-Up and the Galt Museum. Submissions must be in by September 30th, 2024.
  
  
• Starting today, the Transportation Operations department will begin its annual road maintenance, involving milling and repaving efforts to enhance road conditions. This project is conducted in a phased approach to reduce community disruption. The first phase includes any necessary concrete repairs adjacent to the roadway. The second phase involves road milling to remove and prepare the old asphalt for repaving. In the final phase, new asphalt is laid down to ensure a smooth driving surface. You can view any road closures online.

Last Week In Lethbridge:

• Council held a public hearing to discuss rezoning London Road Park, aimed at enhancing park safety by potentially adding medium-density housing facing the park. The rezoning was intended to promote "passive surveillance" and prevent crime through environmental design, while also addressing population decline in the area. Some residents supported the proposal, believing it would repopulate schools and improve park safety. However, others were opposed, arguing that it would diminish precious green space and mature trees. Concerns about park safety were noted as a reason for its underuse, with some suggesting increased police patrols as an alternative solution. Ultimately, Council voted against the rezoning proposal 5-3, with one Councillor recusing due to a conflict of interest.
  
  
• The City has reinstalled public drinking stations at Nicholas Sheran Park, Legacy Park, Henderson Lake Park, and Galt Gardens. Initially installed in July 2023, these stations were heavily utilized, with the Galt Gardens station alone dispensing water equivalent to 12,000 bottles. The stations connect to hydrants, ensuring a continuous water supply, allowing for community access during hot summer months. Designed by the Water Treatment Plant staff, these stations are part of a two-year pilot project initiated in November 2022. Council will review the program's effectiveness later this year.
  
  
• Lethbridge will officially bid to host the 2026 Scotties Tournament of Hearts after Council unanimously supported a proposal to provide $400,000 in cash and in-kind services. The funding, contingent on winning the bid, will be sourced from the Municipal Revenue Stabilization Reserve and the Major Community Event Grant. Curling Canada will announce the host city in January 2025. If successful, this will be Lethbridge’s third time hosting the tournament, with the event planned for January 23rd to February 1st, 2026, at the ENMAX Centre.

-----

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.