#OurDowntown
#OurDowntown is an opportunity to highlight and share information on the revitalization efforts in Downtown Lethbridge as well as an opportunity for the public to participate in an ongoing conversation by contributing with comments, questions, ideas, and suggestions on social media with#OurDowntown or by contributing to this Get Involved Lethbridge conversation as opportunities arise.
#OurDowntown is an opportunity to highlight and share information on the revitalization efforts in Downtown Lethbridge as well as an opportunity for the public to participate in an ongoing conversation by contributing with comments, questions, ideas, and suggestions on social media with#OurDowntown or by contributing to this Get Involved Lethbridge conversation as opportunities arise.
Category revitalization Show all
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Downtown Events Add to Exciting and VIbrant Downtown
Share Downtown Events Add to Exciting and VIbrant Downtown on Facebook Share Downtown Events Add to Exciting and VIbrant Downtown on Twitter Share Downtown Events Add to Exciting and VIbrant Downtown on Linkedin Email Downtown Events Add to Exciting and VIbrant Downtown linkAttracting 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.
Project Timeline
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Ongoing Conversation
#OurDowntown is currently at this stage#OurDowntown is an ongoing conversation related to the process of downtown revitalization which is continual and never complete. Therefore there is not a defined end date to this project/process.
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Document Library
- HOC Downtown Personas Final Report (1.1 MB) (pdf)
- Festival Square Detailed Design What We Heard Report - February 10 (2.21 MB) (pdf)
- Festival Square Concept Designs Final Report (5.7 MB) (pdf)
- Heart of Our City Master Plan
- Downtown Area Redevelopment Plan
- Galt Gardens Master Plan
- Civic Common Master Plan
- Housing Incentive Program
- Targeted Redevelopment Incentive Policy
- Downtown Speed Reduction Survey What We Heard Report (1.33 MB) (pdf)
- Re-Imagine Downtown Activation Grant-Budget-Template-June21-Intake.xlsx (25.2 KB) (xlsx)
- Heart of Our City Governance Report (1.26 MB) (pdf)
#OurDowntown Video Series
Video Series targeted at highlighting the many positive aspects of downtown life. The videos are produced by the Downtown Lethbridge Business Revitalization Zone in alignment with the #OurDowntown conversation.
Downtown Lethbridge Videos
Downtown Lethbridge Videos
- Take a sneak peek look into Pure Spa, and hear why owners Rachel and Jayna decided to open their dream spa and bring holistic healing to Downtown Lethbridge.
- 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. Learn more about the role of the Southern Alberta Ethnic Association and its role in adding diversity to our Downtown. https://getinvolvedlethbridge.ca/ourdowntown