Lethbridge Minute: Issue 261

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

📅 This Week In Lethbridge: 📅

• The Assets and Infrastructure Standing Policy Committee meeting, originally scheduled for Thursday at 1:30 pm, has been cancelled.
  
  
• The City of Lethbridge is launching virtual reality tours to give residents an interactive look inside seven municipal facilities, including the water and wastewater treatment plants, electrical substation, organics processing facility, Materials Recovery Facility, Park ‘n’ Ride Transit Terminal, and three transit buses. Education and Outreach Lead Asheley Cowie says the tours aim to increase understanding of infrastructure services, provide transparency, and help residents appreciate the work and costs involved in City projects. The City also plans to bring the tours to local schools, allowing students to see operations like sewage treatment without visiting the actual facilities. Cowie adds that a website is being developed to make the tours accessible online and that additional facilities will be added in the future.
  
  
• The City says it will begin a multi-month maintenance project on Whoop-Up Drive in May 2026, with drivers expected to face delays during construction. The City plans to recoat the bridge to protect its lifespan, noting the work has been planned since 2019, when the eastbound bridge recoating was completed. During construction, the City says at least two westbound lanes will remain open and eastbound travel should not be impacted. The project also includes repairing damage to the north girder of the eastbound structure from a collision last summer; that work will occur under the bridge and is not expected to affect traffic. To meet Alberta Environment and Parks requirements, the work area will be contained, with scaffolding attached to the underside of the bridge. Botterill Bottom Road under the bridge will be reduced to one lane with alternating access. A tender is currently posted, with more precise timelines and impacts to be confirmed once a contractor is selected.
  
  
• The 2026 Lethbridge Brighter Together Survey, conducted by Economic Development Lethbridge, the Chamber of Commerce, and Downtown Lethbridge BRZ, shows that local businesses are optimistic about the year ahead despite challenges like tariffs and trade uncertainty. Responses came from a variety of sectors, including industrial, downtown, and not-for-profit organizations, and highlighted key obstacles such as high insurance costs, labour expenses, and trade impacts. Businesses rated the presence of post-secondary institutions as the top locational advantage, reflecting access to a skilled workforce, while proximity to complementary industries and strong transportation infrastructure also scored highly. Satisfaction with downtown programs and initiatives, including events, safety projects, and incentive programs, improved across all categories compared to 2024. The survey also helps organizers understand the types of support businesses need, guiding Economic Development Lethbridge and partners in shaping future programs.
  
  
• Excite Lethbridge has partnered with Cooper Equipment Rentals to name a hall in the Lethbridge Trade & Convention Centre and become the exclusive equipment provider for its events. The five-year partnership will support community events such as Whoop-Up Days, Ag Expo, the Lethbridge & District Pro Rodeo, the Farmers’ Market, and Canada Day, helping them run more sustainably. Excite Lethbridge CEO Kim Gallucci highlighted the benefits of the partnership in delivering high-quality events, while Cooper Equipment Rentals representatives emphasized their commitment to supporting and belonging to the local community. Cooper, a Canadian-owned company with over 90 branches, specializes in construction equipment rentals and supplies. The Cooper Equipment Rentals Hall will host upcoming events including the Prairie Sky RV Winter Expo, Ag Expo, and the Southern Alberta Home, Garden & Leisure Show.

🚨 This Week’s Action Item: 🚨

The City of Lethbridge is inviting residents to vote on colour schemes for two new playgrounds being installed this summer at Cougar Park in the Uplands neighbourhood and Lafayette Park in Varsity Village. 

Residents can submit their colour preferences through online surveys, which will remain open until February 27th, 2026. If weather permits, the playgrounds are expected to be ready by mid-June.

🪙 This Week’s Sponsor: 🪙

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