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Festival Square Market Plaza - Construction Update (Dec 2021)
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Festival Square Construction Paused for Winter
Once concrete work is completed this week at Festival Square on 6 Street South, just off 3 Avenue, construction on the project will cease until the spring.
The portion of 6 Street between 3 Avenue and 4 Avenue is still closed to vehicle traffic, as the new concrete needs time to cure. It is anticipated that this stretch of road, as well as the adjacent laneway, will temporarily reopen by early January until construction can resume in the spring.
Construction fencing will be moved from the road and laneway but will remain around the plaza component.
With a June 2022 target date for construction completion, as well as a potential grand opening, the new Festival Square Market Plaza will be a versatile, active and engaging public space for people and the local businesses in the area. The main draw will be its offering as a year-round permanent market space with supporting infrastructure to support local producers, artisans, and craftspeople a place to sell their wares year-round. The project includes an interactive stage, entry signs, decorative column lighting, programmable lighting and site furniture, as well as water/wastewater servicing and lane rehab.
More information here: https://getinvolvedlethbridge.ca/ourdowntown
In July 2021, Lethbridge City Council voted 6-3 to proceed with a revised plan for Municipal Stimulus Program (MSP) funded projects which include the $1.71 million Festival Square Market Plaza, allowing Festival Square to proceed – without any City funding – to ensure that the project is delivered as an economic catalyst for downtown. The revised completion date will not impact the grant funding.
Full background here: https://www.lethbridge.ca/NewsCentre/Pages/Council-greenlights-revisions-to-Municipal-Stimulus-Program-projects.aspx
Third Avenue South between 4 Street and 8 Street in Downtown Lethbridge recently re-opened to vehicle traffic. That Reconstruction Project is nearing overall completion, with some minor work remaining to be done in spring 2022.
Motorists are advised to drive with caution in this area and follow posted detours.
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Refreshing Upgrades Coming to Downtown
Share on Facebook Share on Twitter Share on Linkedin Email this linkResidents and businesses may notice work happening in the downtown over the course of the summer as enhancements are made to the public spaces. This project is part of the City’s Capital Improvement Program (CIP) and includes the installation of parklets (seasonal patio spaces) and replacement of street furniture, planters, banners as well as trees and grates. The objective of this project is to create vibrant, beautiful and accessible public spaces in the downtown while also improving overall functionality.
Starting today, trees are being removed from the brick planters on the corner of 4 Ave and 6 St S in preparation for the replacement of both the planters and trees. There will also be additional tree removal happening at 5 Ave and 6 Street S.
Planters are scheduled to be removed next week in several downtown locations. No road closures will be required for this work but parking stalls will be blocked off and fencing will be up in these area to ensure the safety of both worker and the public. The planter replacements are expected to be installed in June with new trees being added in a later phase of the project.
These improvements are being made as part of the Public Realm Enhancement project and are in alignment with the Heart of Our City Master Plan, Downtown Area Redevelopment Plan, and the City’s Public Realm and Transportation Study.
Initiatives in the project began in 2018 and are anticipated to be full completed in the summer/fall of 2021.
For more information, visit: https://www.lethbridge.ca/living-here/Projects-Initiatives/Current-Projects/Pages/4-Avenue-Enhancements.aspx
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Parklet Program Pilot Launches Downtown - Feedback wanted!
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If you’re looking for a nice place to enjoy some summer shade, look no further than downtown Lethbridge. The City of Lethbridge, in partnership with the Heart of our City committee, is piloting a new project to provide outdoor seating spaces for downtown businesses in the form of a Parklet.
A Parklet is a temporary seating area that replaces one or two parking spaces by extending from the sidewalk in front of the business into the street. Parklets were first introduced in 2005 in San Francisco and today are a mainstay in communities small and large, from Fernie, BC to New York, New York.
More people and more activity creates a more vibrant downtown. Parklets help foster a sense of community by creating places for people to sit, relax, visit and enjoy the city. By converting parking space to people space, Parklets make cities more welcoming and people-friendly. They support local businesses by create a sense of place, beautify the streets and make walkable destinations for residents.
The pilot program offers two forms of support for businesses interested in establishing a Parklet in front of their business. The first option is financial support for the design and construction of a Parklet including a matching grant up to $1,000. The second option is to borrow the City owned Parklet infrastructure at no cost to the business. With either option, the pilot program will also cover the $300 fee for a Parklet permit.
As a pilot, the Heart of Our City committee will be gathering community feedback from businesses, customers and clients to determine if this is something that could become a more permanent fixture in downtown Lethbridge in years to come.
For more information on this and other projects to enhance public spaces in the downtown visit www.lethbridge.ca/publicspaces.
Residents can give feedback on the Parklet pilot project here.
To inquire about piloting a Parklet at your downtown location contact Andrew Malcolm, Urban Revitalization Manager at 403-320-3926.
