Lethbridge Minute: Economic Update, Library Plan, and Reduced Speed Limits

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

This Week In Lethbridge:

• There will be a three-day meeting of the Economic and Finance Standing Policy Committee, beginning on Tuesday at 9:00 am. The Committee will receive a number of presentations, including one from the City’s Chief Financial Officer and Treasurer with regard to the current economic conditions and the impact it has on the City’s overall financial position. The Committee will also receive presentations from service organizations like the Lethbridge Food Bank, the Interfaith Food Bank, and Habitat for Humanity. Submissions will be made regarding a status update on the 2023-2026 Operating Budget Initiatives and the 2022-2031 Capital Improvement Program Summary Report, among others. The meeting will continue on Wednesday at 9:00 am and Thursday at 9:00 am.
  
  
• Also on Tuesday, there will be a City Council meeting at 12:30 pm, beginning with a closed session. The meeting opens up to the public at 1:30 pm. On the agenda are the Second and Third Readings of the bylaw intended to deregulate taxi fares. There are also several confidential reports, including a Lethbridge & District Exhibition Project Update and a recap from the Alberta Municipalities 2023 Convention.
  
  
• The Safety and Social Standing Policy Committee will meet on Thursday at 1:30 pm. On the agenda is the Lethbridge Public Library Facilities Master Plan. This plan, part of the 2022-2031 Capital Improvement Program, outlines the future development of library facilities. Of note, the assumption is that by 2050, Lethbridge Public Libraries will attract approximately 500,000 to 750,000 visits each year. The Committee will also discuss the proposed designation of the Whitney Block as a Municipal Historic Resource.

Last Week In Lethbridge:

• Tourism Lethbridge was announced as a finalist for the Culinary Tourism Experience Award, presented by the Tourism Industry Association of Canada. The nomination is part of the 2023 Canadian Tourism Awards. Tourism Lethbridge CEO Erin Crane said it was a real honour, particularly given how much emphasis the organization puts on agri-tourism. Tourism Lethbridge has launched various initiatives to promote local businesses, including Open Farm Days, the Light Up Local Long Table Dinner, and the Brighter Together Food Journey. The award winners will be announced on November 22nd.
  
  
• The City announced its ongoing research into the potential safety impacts of reduced speed limits in residential neighbourhoods. As of November 24th, 2023, speed limits will be lowered to 40 km/hr in the Uplands/Blackwolf and Southgate Sixmile areas. This change is part of the Residential Speed Limit Pilot Project, which initially launched in the Paradise Canyons/The Canyons region on September 15th. The City clarified that the decision to reduce speeds to 40 km/h was based on traffic safety best practices, research, and data, and that it was not motivated by collecting additional speeding fines. As the pilot project unfolds, the City is seeking public feedback through an online survey.
  
  
• An unofficial website showing Lethbridge crime data has popped up. Users of the website CityProtect.com can set filters and parameters to check for different types of crime, and view the dates of occurrence as well as locations. The data shows that, in October, there were 50 instances of assault or assault with a deadly weapon, 20 of which occurred on the northside. There were also 135 instances of theft (excluding theft from a vehicle, of which there were 39 instances), and 450 total incidents in the month. The Lethbridge Police Service is the only police agency in southern Alberta currently viewable via the website.

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