Lethbridge Minute: Issue 290

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

📅 This Week In Lethbridge: 📅

• There are no City Council or Committee meetings scheduled this week. The next meeting on the City's calendar is a Community Issues Committee meeting on Tuesday, September 8th, at 1:30 pm, followed by a City Council meeting on September 15th, at 12:30 pm.
  
  
• The City of Lethbridge has launched a public engagement campaign, called Strong Roots, Stronger Future, ahead of decisions on its next Capital Improvement Program - the four-year 2027-2030 capital budget within a ten-year capital plan running to 2036. Proposed transportation and community projects total about $240 million from 2027 to 2030 and more than $940 million over ten years, with utility projects adding roughly $470 million to the first four years and $860 million over the decade, according to Chief Financial Officer Darrell Mathews. The City says much of the immediate funding will need to go toward maintaining and replacing existing infrastructure rather than new projects, with limited funding available in the first four years of the plan. Proposed projects will be presented at Community Issues Committee meetings from October 6th to 8th, where residents can provide feedback, before Council deliberates on the capital budget from November 16th to 20th. A second phase of engagement, planned for early 2027, will ask residents which projects Lethbridge will need in the next decade and beyond.
  
  
• Speaking of public engagement, Mayor Blaine Hyggen held the second of his Listening to Lethbridge public engagement sessions on August 16th at Lavenza Cafe, an informal format meant to give residents and businesses a chance to raise issues directly with the Mayor. Budgets and taxes have been the leading topic of conversation so far. Hyggen says residents have made clear that it is tough to make ends meet, and that the City is trying to reduce costs, including when weighing spending on pools and recreation facilities. The sessions come as the City has passed its provisional 2027 operating budget but has yet to finalize its capital budget, which covers projects like roads and sewers.
  
  
• The City of Lethbridge has placed a fire ban on all open fires in the river valley, effective August 19th and in place until further notice. The City says warm temperatures and low humidity have created a high risk of fast-moving and uncontrolled fires, where even a small spark can quickly spread in dry grass and brush. Residents and visitors are asked not to light any open fires and to make sure smoking materials are fully extinguished and disposed of safely. The ban comes less than a week after the City lifted the previous river valley fire ban on August 13th, when rain and cooler temperatures had reduced the fire risk.
  
  
• The City of Lethbridge says the Whoop-Up Drive and Scenic Drive interchange improvement project remains on schedule, with the entire project expected to be complete in November. Crews are currently working on the fifth phase of the multi-phase project, building up the northbound lanes on the east side of Scenic Drive South while widening the westbound Whoop-Up Drive on-ramp at the same time. Once finished, the project will add two lanes of traffic on Scenic Drive South between Second Avenue South and the Whoop-Up Drive on-ramp - one northbound and one southbound - along with a second lane on the westbound on-ramp. The City says the work is aimed at making the afternoon commute to the west side easier and safer, and is asking motorists to be patient with crews and follow detour signs and lane closures until the work wraps up.

🚨 This Week’s Action Item: 🚨

Lethbridge residents have a number of opportunities to weigh in on how the City spends money on roads, parks, recreation facilities, utilities and other major infrastructure projects over the next decade.

The City is holding community events throughout August, September and October, followed by opportunities to provide feedback on proposed projects at City Hall from October 6th to 8th.

Check out the available engagement opportunities and make sure your voice is heard before Council makes these decisions:

🪙 This Week’s Sponsor: 🪙

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