Lethbridge Minute: Patio Program, Greenhouse Funding, and a New City Website

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

This Week In Lethbridge:

• There are two City Council Special Meetings this week. The first takes place today at 10:00 am and the second takes place on Tuesday at 10:00 am. These are off-site meetings, closed to the public as Councillors will be taking part in a City Council Governance Seminar. There are no further details available about the content of the seminar. The public session of a regular City Council meeting takes place on Tuesday at 1:30 pm with a closed session at 12:30 pm. (The City website says the closed session is actually at 2:30 pm, but we're pretty sure this is just a typo). On the agenda are several committee reports and an Official Business Motion to have Lethbridge apply to Bee City Canada to become a Bee City.
  
  
• A meeting of the Audit Committee originally scheduled for Wednesday has been cancelled due to a lack of agenda items.
  
  
• On Thursday, there will be a meeting of the Civic Works Standing Policy Committee at 1:30 pm. The Committee will receive a presentation regarding the harmonization of school and playground zones, as well as the Transportation Services Annual Report and the Water, Wastewater & Stormwater 2022 annual report.

Last Week In Lethbridge:

• The City announced the return of its outdoor patio and parklet program. The goal of the program is to support local businesses by expanding outdoor seating and attracting more customers. Businesses interested in having an outdoor space can apply for one of four permit types - they cover everything from permanent patio seating to using a City parking space to vend wares. There is also an incentive program that offers 50% matching up to $1,000 for costs of items like plants, planters, furnishings and barriers.
  
  
• The City of Lethbridge launched a new website with the aim of making it more user-friendly. The new site makes it easier to submit service requests to 311, highlights the new 311 online chat feature, and allows users to subscribe to the City’s real-time news updates. A portal is coming soon, which residents can customize for quick access to the things they need. Later this fall, when it launches, Lethbridgians will be able to login and view their taxes, utilities, dog licenses, and waste pick-up schedules. The total cost for the entire project - portal and website - was $277,000. You can view the new site by clicking here.
  
  
• Lethbridge College has been granted $353,598 for a three-year study in the new 10,000 square foot, on-campus greenhouse. The study will assess the performance of conventional High-Intensity Discharge (HID) lights, horticultural LEDs, and common industrial lights. This project is one of 39 across Canada to receive funding from the Agriculture Funding Consortium, which aims to support sustainability, diversification, and growth in the agri-food industry in Western Canada. The study will commence in the fall.

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