Weekly Roundup Oct. 13

Sharing a local success story…

I was proud to see our Downtown BRZ team sharing the innovative programming we do with Clean Sweep at the annual International Downtown Association Conference in Chicago and their session: “Innovative Approaches to Working with our Unhoused Neighbours.” I also enjoyed connecting with the team this week to hear more about what they learned at the conference. Follow the Downtown BRZ on LinkedIn at: https://www.linkedin.com/company/downtown-lethbridge-brz/

Congrats Lethbridge College!

Congratulations to Lethbridge College! Alberta Innovates announced a $709,202 grant as part of the Ecosystem Development Partnerships program. This grant will assist the college’s Spatial Technologies Applied Research and Training (START) Center service as a provincial hub for Alberta’s extended reality technology, service, and operations. Learn more at: https://lethbridgecollege.ca/news/news-release/lethbridge-college-start-centre-receives-700000-grant

Opening Galt Gardens Inclusive and Accessible Play Space…

On Wednesday (Oct. 11) I was excited to participate in the opening of the new Galt Gardens inclusive and accessible play space. With the goals of increasing community vibrancy and the vitality of Downtown by fostering active, social, educational, inclusive, and accessible play opportunities this space also addresses a previous gap in recreation and play opportunities sin our downtown core. We’ve received some criticism over this play space; however, years of research and evidence, from around the world, show the best way to revitalize a community space is to attract more people and positive activity to an area. Galt Gardens is the primary downtown festival and events park in our city, and this project will attract families to events in the park, end encourage daily use of the space year-round. We know that our parks and public spaces bring people together, attract people to downtown cores, and provide opportunities for residents and visitors to benefit from what nearby local businesses and attractions have to offer. This play space will also leverage synergies created between Festival Square, Third Avenue, Casa, Rotary Fountain, new and existing downtown businesses, and future SAAG expansion. Thank you to federal funders and the Kal Tire Replay fund for helping to make this project possible. Learn more at: https://www.lethbridge.ca/news/posts/new-play-space-in-galt-gardens-now-open/

This week at City Council…

On Thursday (Oct 12) Council’s Community Safety Standing Policy Committee met to recommend that City Council:

  • Provide the first reading to Bylaw 6422, a bylaw to amend Business License Bylaw 5658. Those amendments are to deregulate taxi fares and remove the requirement for a taxi top light.
    • The discussion to update this bylaw started in September, 2022, and was further discussed in February and March 2023. I’ve previously supported this change as it will allow our taxi companies to compete with ride share services.
  • Direct the City Manager to provide an amalgamated draft Animal Control bylaw with modernization to repeal and replace Dog Control Bylaw 5235, Wild and Domestic Animal Control Bylaw 3383, Pigeon Bylaw 2609, and include draft provisions for the regulation of cats by Q3 2024.
    • This will allow an opportunity for Council to start the conversation and learn more about what other cities are doing as far as animal control.

See you out there this weekend…

Don’t forget this weekend is the last weekend of Lethbridge & District Exhibition’s Saturday Farmers Market hosted at the Agri-food Hub & Trade Centre (https://www.agrifoodhub.ca/events/farmers-market), and while you’re there check out the Lethbridge Handmade Market *Spooktacular* (https://www.facebook.com/events/233353972617278). I’ll be out exploring both.

Next week at City Council:

Leave a Reply

Your email address will not be published. Required fields are marked *