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UPDATE: Festival Square Redevelopment: Detailed Design Stakeholder Engagement What We Heard Report
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On February 10, 2021 the City along with Stantec Consulting held an online engagement meeting to share more about the Festival Square reconstruction project and receive feedback on detailed design and construction timing.
A What We Heard Report has been created that captures and shares the public feedback gathered in this event and can be found here https://getinvolvedlethbridge.ca/6524/widgets/25788/documents/50926. The recording of the online session can also be viewed at www.shorturl.at/dkI03.
Related Information:
- The detailed design work builds off of conceptual designs completed in Spring/Summer 2020. More information available https://getinvolvedlethbridge.ca/6524/widgets/25788/documents/44706.
- Detailed Design is expected to be completed by April 2021.
- Construction is expected to begin in May 2021 and be completed by July 2021.
If you have any further questions, comments, or concerns, please contact Andrew Malcolm, Urban Revitalization Manager at andrew.malcolm@lethbridge.ca or 403.330.4235
Original Post - Feb 02 2021
In spring 2020, the City completed conceptual designs for the re-imagining of Festival Square as a permanent market plaza space. The designs incorporated previous plans and studies as well as discussions with the City, HOC, Downtown BRZ, and stakeholders through a virtual meeting and public survey.
The pandemic helped accelerate some of these ideas when an outdoor seating area was created this summer to help restaurants with their capacity limits. Further, in the Fall the City and Province both agreed that this project was a natural fit for economic stimulus funding and $900,000 in Provincial funding was allocated for design and construction.
As a stakeholder, we would like to reconnect in an online engagement meeting on February 10 at 6:30 p.m. as we look at to share more about the Festival Square reconstruction project and receive feedback on detailed design and construction timing.
More information on the vision of the project and the process behind the development of the conceptual designs can be found at https://getinvolvedlethbridge.ca/6524/widgets/25788/documents/44706
If you are interested in attending, please contact Andrew Malcolm, Urban Revitalization Manager (andrew.malcolm@lethbridge.ca) to receive a link for the online engagement.
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Taking It To The Streets In Support of Economic Recovery
Share Taking It To The Streets In Support of Economic Recovery on Facebook Share Taking It To The Streets In Support of Economic Recovery on Twitter Share Taking It To The Streets In Support of Economic Recovery on Linkedin Email Taking It To The Streets In Support of Economic Recovery linkIn an effort to support businesses in their COVID-19 relaunch efforts, the City of Lethbridge will be expediting permitting for the use of sidewalks and streets to create outdoor patios, parklets and street vending in commercial areas. Opportunities for expanded outdoor seating will be vital in allowing businesses to serve customers while still following provincial health orders and ensuring physical distancing.
For businesses in Downtown Lethbridge, the Heart of Our City Committee has developed an Outdoor Patio and Parklet Support Program. This includes a limited quantity of prefabricated parklet structures, planters, bistro tables and chairs that businesses can borrow. Further, the existing Main Street Incentive Program has been expanded beyond façade and signage improvements to include patio and parklet improvements. This expanded program will provide matching funding to businesses to assist with initial costs of developing their own patio or 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 and 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, NY. The City piloted parklets in 2019 with great success. This year’s program has been modified slightly to incorporate changes suggested through community feedback.
A comprehensive handbook has also been created for anyone interested in exploring a patio/parklet options for their business. This resource includes operational and safety requirements, application form, and details on the review process. For more information visit: www.lethbridge.ca/publicspaces.
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Refreshing Upgrades Coming to Downtown
Share Refreshing Upgrades Coming to Downtown on Facebook Share Refreshing Upgrades Coming to Downtown on Twitter Share Refreshing Upgrades Coming to Downtown on Linkedin Email Refreshing Upgrades Coming to Downtown 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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Many Groups Working to Help Downtown
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In order to effectively revitalize downtown we need to create a positive, unforgettable downtown experience. To achieve this, we know we need to address the real and/or perceived notion that Downtown is messy and feels unsafe.
Since the adoption of the Heart of Our City Master Plan in 2007, creating a clean and safe downtown has been a fundamental goal of downtown revitalization. These efforts have seen a number of initiatives implemented such as the Clean Sweep Program, Diversion Outreach Team, Downtown Ambassadors, expansion of Lethbridge Police Services’ downtown presence, and private security in Galt Gardens, to name a few.
Between 2007 and 2016, by focusing on decreasing negative cues and increasing positive cues the downtown experienced a noticeable improvement in terms of cleanliness and safety. Unfortunately, over the past two years the downtown has faced escalating instances of drug use, theft, erratic behavior, and petty crime related to increases in unemployment, homelessness, and addiction and substance abuse. Every incident, inappropriate act, or negative cue that one observes or is exposed to, regardless of how serious, is extremely impactful to people’s perception of cleanliness and safety in the downtown.
To combat these negative perceptions and the City of Lethbridge has been listening and collaborating with various stakeholders in and around the downtown including the Heart of Our City Committee, Downtown Lethbridge Business Revitalization Zone, Chamber of Commerce, Lethbridge Police Service, Fire & Ambulance, Diversion Outreach Team, Social Service Agencies, and businesses and residents to develop a city-led Downtown Clean and Safe Strategy (DCSS).
The strategy combines components of enforcement, security, outreach, cleaning, promotion, education, and built environment improvements to holistically address the negative perceptions and to make the community feel safe, promote positive downtown activities and events, and inform residents on what the City is doing that builds understanding for the purpose of increasing the vibrancy and revitalization of the downtown. The details of the strategy can be viewed at www.lethbridge.ca/downtown.
This is not a strategy to attempt to solve the larger underlying issues of the drug crisis such as homelessness, addiction and unemployment. It is a holistic effort to bridge a gap and assist those in the downtown and adjacent areas whose livelihoods are being directly impacted, while the plan to address the larger underlying issues is being developed and implemented through the Community Drug Strategy (www.lethbridge.ca/drugstrategy).
By investing resources into reestablishing a clean and safe downtown, we will be better positioned to continue with our downtown revitalization efforts to create a positive, unforgettable downtown experience based on welcoming public spaces, program and events, vibrant uses, and marketing and promotions.
I challenge every resident to help Our Downtown to be the best it can be. With our partners on the Downtown BRZ and the Heart of Our City Committee, we encourage you to contribute to the content of this column and the BRZ’s #OurDowntown video series with your comments, questions, ideas, and suggestions by engaging with us on Twitter (@DowntownLeth) using the hashtag #ourdowntown and at www.getinvolvedlethbridge.ca/ourdowntown.
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Lots to be excited about for downtown in 2019
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Small cracks do not mean you are broken, it means that you were put to the test and didn’t fall apart. I believe this accurately describes the past year for our downtown as the businesses, residents, visitors, and patrons were faced with a number of challenges.
While 2018 tested the strength and resiliency of our downtown, it certainly is not broken and exciting things are ahead for 2019. In fact, the Community Issues Committee meeting of City Council will hear more about the new strategies to support a clean and safe downtown at their meeting today.
In taking a moment to look back at the year that was, there is still lots to be excited and proud of. We welcomed a number of new and innovative businesses, attracted thousands of visitors through the hosting of events and festivals, saw buildings (slated from demolition) brought back to life and witnessed countless dedicated organizations and individuals giving up their time to make downtown a better place.
The Heart of Our City committee is excited to announce details for the fourth annual Celebrate Downtown event. This event recognizes downtown champions for all the work that has been done, and continues to be done by our community to create, maintain and promote Lethbridge’s downtown.
The Celebrate Downtown awards reception will take place on April 11 from 5:30-7:30 p.m. at the Multicultural Centre (421 6th Avenue South). Participants will enjoy appetizers, drinks, and live entertainment. Downtown friends, neighbors, colleagues and community contributors will have an opportunity to network and join the HOC in honouring downtown champions. This includes the individuals, businesses, organizations and events that have invested in making our downtown more beautiful, livable, exciting, vibrant, accessible and sustainable.
There are 7 Celebrate Downtown award categories and nominations will remain open until March 1st, 2019. More information can be found on the Celebrate Downtown Facebook Page (www.facebook.com/celebratedowntownlethbridge).
As we look ahead to 2019, I challenge every resident to help our downtown to be the best it can be. With our partners on the Downtown BRZ and the Heart of Our City Committee, we encourage you to contribute to the content of this column and the BRZ’s #OurDowntown video series with your comments, questions, ideas, and suggestions and engaging with us on Twitter (@DowntownLeth) using the hashtag #ourdowntown and at www.getinvolvedlethbridge.ca/ourdowntown.
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Options Exist For Downtown Business Beautification
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Never underestimate the power of a well-designed storefront. Aside from word-of-mouth recommendations shoppers typically only have curb appeal to help them determine whether or not a business is worth visiting. And a customer’s first impression of a business’s brand can often be the difference between someone coming in or walking past. When competing with the big-box retailers, chains, and franchises that have very identifiable branding, smaller local businesses must turn on the charm by creating storefronts that are welcoming to visitors and quickly tell them what goods and services are provided.
Despite the fact that storefront beautification projects that improve curb appeal can count for 70 per cent of new visitor sales at restaurants, retail shops, and hotels and lodging establishments, it is often difficult for small businesses to front the capital costs to pull off such improvements.
Cue Community Futures, a community driven, non-profit organization that is actively engaged in providing a wide range of small business services and business management tools for people who want to start, expand, or improve a business.
In 2011, Community Futures partnered with the Downtown Lethbridge Business Revitalization Zone and Heart of Our City to provide the Business Improvement Loan program to provide financial assistance to businesses in the downtown. The program provides interest-free loans up to a maximum of $15,000 for downtown businesses to improve the appearance of their business, with the interest being paid by the Heart of Our City.
Eligible improvements include signage, exterior finishes, repair or replacement of storefront windows and doors, interior and exterior lighting, window display areas, new architectural features, addition of patio areas and landscaping, flooring and much more!
Since 2011, 87 loans have been issued which have directly resulted in maintaining and creating more than 320 full- and part-time jobs as well as being leveraged to facilitate more than $1.6 million in improvements in our Downtown.
“This program is a win-win, as small business and entrepreneurs receive valuable assistance while also contributing to making our downtown more beautiful and sustainable” says Darlene Sinclair, General Manager of Community Futures Lethbridge Region.
More information on the Business Improvement Loan program and other small business services and business management tools that Community Futures provides can be found at www.lethbridgeregion.albertacf.com or by contacting 403-320-6044.
I challenge every resident to help Our Downtown to be the best it can be. With our partners on the Downtown BRZ and the Heart of Our City Committee, we encourage you to contribute to the content of this column and the BRZ’s #OurDowntown video series with your comments, questions, ideas, and suggestions by engaging with us on Twitter (@DowntownLeth) using the hashtag #ourdowntown and at www.getinvolvedlethbridge.ca/ourdowntown.
*This column was published in the Lethbridge Herald on November 19, 2018
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Downtown Offers Lots of Diversity
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Downtown is more diverse and inclusive than ever as residents, businesses, and organizations representing people from around the world utilize the centre of our city on a daily basis.
Through the sharing of food, people and relationships, or cultural activities, visitors will find diverse ethnic and cultural experiences in our Downtown. Whether you are spending time in the small but culturally and historically rich district of Chinatown, visiting any of the ethnic restaurants and retailers - Tacos Made in Mexico, Nakagama’s Japanese Foods and Giftware, Josees Handmade Imports to name a few - or by participating in some of the amazing cultural activities and events hosted by the Southern Alberta Ethnic Association (SAEA) at its downtown location in the Multicultural Centre on the corner of 6th Avenue and 5th Street South.
The SAEA represents diverse ethnic societies and clubs in southern Alberta as they promote understanding, awareness, and celebration by offering programs that highlight different global cultures, languages, religions, cuisines, dancing and performances, ethnic music, thoughts and philosophies.
Throughout the year the SAEA organizes and showcases a multitude of cultural events such as regular Cultural Nights, celebrations of Heritage Day, Festival Latino, Caribbean Carnival, and an Annual International Dinner and Dance. There are a number of upcoming events (many that involve delicious food) before the year is done, including: Taste of Africa (Oct. 26), Taste of Ecuador (Nov. 30), Christmas around the World (Dec. 14) and BavaRu New Year’s Eve (Dec. 31). These events are open to everyone in the community and add to the rich cultural vibrancy and inclusive nature of our Downtown.
By bringing proud socio-cultural practices representing different parts of the globe face to face at a common point, we are afforded the opportunity to learn, share and appreciate each other’s culture. This provides endless opportunities to bridge differences and foster unity in our society. What better place for this to take place than in the Heart of Our City – our Downtown.
I challenge every resident to help Our Downtown to be the best it can be. With our partners on the Downtown BRZ and the Heart of Our City Committee, we encourage you to contribute to the content of this column and the video series with your comments, questions, ideas, and suggestions by engaging with us on Twitter (@DowntownLeth) using the hashtag #ourdowntown and at www.getinvolvedlethbridge.ca/ourdowntown.
*This column was published in the Lethbridge Herald on October 22, 2018
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Downtown Events Add to Exciting and VIbrant Downtown
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Attracting people year round to the downtown has been a central goal of the Heart of Our City Committee over the last decade as people are the key to an exciting, vibrant, and animated downtown environment.
In 2011, with the belief that increasing the number events and festivals in the downtown core would help drive animation, vibrancy, and overall positive awareness of Lethbridge Downtown, the Heart of Our City Committee launched a new initiative entitled the Heart of Our City Activity Grant. The initiative would provide City of Lethbridge funds to help local organizations host festivals and cultural or community events within the downtown core.
Over the first eight years, the initiative has proven to be tremendously successful in bringing people from across the entire city downtown on a regular basis, including many who do not live or work near downtown. This serves not only to make downtown more vibrant during the events themselves but also to make a wider portion of the community aware of the unique amenities that exist in the downtown core. Once a citizen has been exposed to all that downtown has to offer, they are more likely to visit downtown for shopping/dining/entertainment on other occasions and are even more likely to consider living downtown or perhaps locating their business downtown.
In 2018, 23 events were provided grant funding which resulted in 115 days of additional event based activation of the downtown drawing approximately 65,000 visitors into the Downtown. There are several major activity grant-supported events still to come in 2018, and I encourage citizens to get out to these great events and enjoy our downtown. Upcoming events include: Arts Days Sept. 22-30; The Word on The Street Festival Sept. 22; Bright Lights Festival Nov. 16; Queen Scarlet Cinema Sept. 12, Oct. 18, and Nov. 21; and Lunch and Learn Concert Series Oct. 5, Nov. 2, and Dec. 7.
The 2019 Activity Grant submissions will be open soon with a deadline of Oct. 31, 2018. For more details please stay tuned to www.lethbridge.ca or contact andrew.malcolm@lethbridge.ca.
I challenge every resident to help Our Downtown to be the best it can be. With our partners on the Downtown BRZ and the Heart of Our City Committee, we encourage you to contribute to the content of this column with us on Twitter (@DowntownLeth) using the hashtag #ourdowntown with your comments, questions, ideas, and suggestions.
*This column was published on September 10, 2018 in the Lethbridge Herald.
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State of a Downtown Speaks Volumes About a City
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Think of any city you’ve come to love. Whether it’s world renowned, a centuries-old classic or comparatively new and contemporary, every one of them has a vibrant place at its core – Downtown.
Downtowns are iconic and powerful symbols for cities. They often feature the most recognizable landmarks, distinctive businesses, vibrant streets and diverse people. Given that downtowns are typically among the oldest neighbourhoods in most cities, they offer insights into their cities’ past, present, and future; while giving you a sense of a city’s personality.
A city’s downtown has an important and unique role in economic and social development. Downtowns create a critical mass of activities where commercial, cultural, and civic activities are concentrated. This concentration facilitates business, learning, and cultural exchange. They are also often the hotbed of business creativity, neighbourhood activism, non-profit enterprise and economic diversity as well as a destination for visitors, seniors, and young talent.
Revitalization of downtown areas can be extremely challenging for a variety of reasons including but not limited to: balancing the needs of diverse uses and users unlike any other area in the city, making considerations for the car in an area primarily developed prior to the car-dominated culture of today, competing with development on the edge of the city where development opportunities are basically a clear canvas, and addressing areas that may be neglected, struggling, or contentious. The challenging process of downtown revitalization is continual and never complete – but it is always exciting and extremely rewarding.
Over the past two decades, with the guidance of the Heart of Our City Master Plan, much work has been accomplished to revitalize and strengthen Downtown as the symbolic and historic heart of Lethbridge. These successes are largely a result of the ongoing process of revitalization which incorporates projects, initiatives, incentives, and events hosted or supported by the City of Lethbridge, the Heart of Our City Committee, the Downtown Business Revitalization Zone (BRZ), and the efforts of countless individuals who frequent and support the Downtown on a day-to-day basis.
Today, Downtown Lethbridge is a vibrant place distinguished by its rich past that is evident in architecture, streets, parks, and landmarks, which also reflect the community values that are unique to Lethbridge as a whole. Downtown is thus both a source and an expression of community identity and pride.
This new bi-weekly column will highlight some of the efforts going on behind the scenes to ensure that our Downtown remains a central gathering place where all Lethbridge residents have the opportunity to live, work, shop, play, dream, and connect.
I challenge every resident to help Our Downtown to be the best it can be. With our partners on the Downtown BRZ and the Heart of Our City committee, we encourage you to contribute to the content of this column with us on Twitter (@DowntownLeth) using the hashtag #ourdowntown with you on comments, questions, ideas, and suggestions.
*This column was published August 27, 2018 in the Lethbridge Herald.
