Lethbridge Minute: Public Safety, Play Space, and Animal Control Bylaws

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

This Week In Lethbridge:

• On Tuesday, there will be a meeting of City Council, beginning with a closed (secret) session at 12:30 pm. The meeting opens up to the public at 1:30 pm. On the agenda for the public portion is a presentation on the City’s Encampment strategy, as well as a potential collaboration between Council and the Downtown BRZ on a cross-functional task force on lawlessness. (See below for more on this.) At 3:00 pm, there will be a Public Hearing to deal with a couple of land use amendments.
  
  
• The Economic Standing Policy Committee will meet on Wednesday at 1:30 pm. The Committee will receive two presentations. The first is a quarterly report from the Lethbridge & District Exhibition and the second is from the Lethbridge & Region Community Housing Corporation outlining a request for a municipal tax exemption.
  
  
• The Cultural and Social Standing Policy Committee will meet at 1:30 pm on Thursday. On the agenda is a submission requesting the allocation of funding for Family and Community Support Services and Reaching Home. The Committee will also hear an update on the Shelter Development Strategy.

Last Week In Lethbridge:

• The play space at Galt Gardens has opened to the public. The new play area features a slide, swing, sensory section, and more, designed for individuals of all physical abilities to enjoy. The project received partial funding from a $375,000 federal government grant and a $10,000 donation from Kal-Tire. While there were safety concerns and pushback about building a play space in this area, the City hopes the play space will encourage positive use and attract more families. The Lethbridge Police Service will also be doing proactive patrols in the area.
  
  
• Speaking of safety concerns, we've been hearing that public safety is top of mind for Lethbridgians. The Alberta Institute hosted an event in Lethbridge on Friday night, and the Common Sense Lethbridge team attended. We spoke to many residents who expressed their concerns about the lack of attention paid to crime and social disorder. People aren’t feeling safe in their city anymore, and it’s time Council did something about it. On Tuesday, the issue of crime will be discussed at a Council meeting. If you have some time today, please write to your Councillor and let them know your thoughts on public safety - and what you think they should do about it. To get in touch with Council, click here to visit the Contact page, then scroll halfway down the page to the "Contact the Mayor or City Council" button.
  
  
• The Community Safety Standing Policy Committee unanimously recommended a comprehensive review of the City's animal control bylaws. The motion calls on the City to create a modernized draft animal control bylaw that will replace several existing bylaws, including those related to dog control, wild and domestic animal control, and pigeon regulations. It also proposes incorporating provisions for regulating cats by the third quarter of 2024. The review process will involve community engagement, including a Community Conversation coming up on October 23rd, surveys, and feedback from the animal welfare committee. The goal is to address public concerns, understand the needs of the community, and learn from other municipalities

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