Downtown Lethbridge

By Aaron Mahoney

Downtown

Heart of Our City committee report shows positive signs for downtown amid a changing landscape

Apr 30, 2019 | 1:07 PM

LETHBRIDGE, AB – With new supports from City Council, and a plan to modernize their master plan in the fall, the Heart of Our City Committee presented a positive outlook on the future for the downtown in Lethbridge at Monday’s regular council meeting.

Some of the positive signs that downtown Lethbridge has seen emerge over the past year outlined in the presentation included critical infrastructure improvements, a Civic Common Master Plan and the Clean and Safe Strategy.

The report also outlined some of the challenges faced by the downtown over the last 12 months, as well as focusing on the successful implementation of strategies and programs that have led to positive signs for the future of the core of the community.

Committee Chair Dawn Leite says the annual report shows the hard work of the committee and downtown community is paying off.

Nighttime construction on Hwy 3 in Lethbridge starts April 17

Apr 17, 2025

SASHA launches #BuyABed fundraiser to support vulnerable Lethbridge residents

Apr 04, 2025

$20K grants available: TELUS STORYHIVE Pan-Asian Edition opens applications April 1

Mar 18, 2025

“The Heart of Our City Committee is guided by a master plan that was developed 11 years ago, implemented and improved. Part of that document identifies a number of implementation steps that we can take to revitalize downtown and create a livelier, engaged, vibrant downtown. The strategies we’ve been developing and implementing in consultation with our stakeholders are starting to take, and the positive signs are starting to show,” Leite said.

The committee’s mandate is to champion the revitalization of downtown Lethbridge and to provide strategic leadership through the implementation of the Heart of Our City Master Plan.

Some of those things, according to Leite, included creating an activity grant to support organizations that are producing events in the downtown to make it a little more accessible for them.

Leite not only presented the committee’s annual report on Monday but also talked about the work the HOC committee is undertaking on a new version of their master plan, which will better account for the challenges of today in the downtown, mainly regarding the perception of safety.

“We’re at the point, where in evaluating the (current) master plan, we have a lot of checkmarks, and we still have some places where we have some work to do,” Leite continued. “But for the most part, a lot of the work that was originally identified in the first master plan has been completed.”

“The HOC committee is at a point now where they need to be [asking] how they can move forward into the next iteration of downtown to continue to see its growth, vibrancy and activity.”

As far as the safety in the downtown is concerned, Leite says they’ve been engaged with the City on their ideas and solutions, as well as in discussions with stakeholders.

“I think open communication and collaboration with our stakeholders, which we have done painstakingly over the last number of months. To have meetings with several organizations and to come together to brainstorm about what it is we need to do to make our downtown feel safe for our community. I think through a number of the initiatives that were presented months previous through the Downtown Clean and Safe strategy and the fact that council did identify a number of initiatives through their budget process and have identified monies that will be going towards programs.”

The challenges of working in silos, Leite explained, is that sometimes you don’t know how to come back together again.

“I think that has been a real success in this last year. We’ve been able to come together, be collaborative with our partners and stakeholders, and we have been able to see improvements in our downtown.”

One of the significant changes the HOC committee is looking at for the future is the fact that they’re starting to see a younger demographic coming into our downtown.

“It’s not your traditional businesses we’re seeing. We see more in the creative sector, more in the information technology sector, more in those kinds of start-up or co-working ports. It’s all those kinds of activities where it is not your traditional business model. We would like to see downtown continue to be a vibrant, activated and animated space where families can come on weekends to participate in festival and events,” Leite stated, adding as well that the downtown be a place that’s busy with people shopping during the weekdays.

Councillor Jeff Carlson says the value the committee is adding to the downtown is evident, and he’s looking forward to more optimistic results in the next 12 months.

“The programs and initiatives being rolled out to our downtown community by the Heart of Our City Committee are very promising based on the annual report,” Carlson continued. “If the work can continue in this positive way forward, we look forward to seeing what’s in store for 2019 and beyond.”

A number of downtown projects are set to start later this year, including a downtown brand development and marketing strategy, continued implementation of the Clean and Safe Strategy initiatives and implementation of the 4th Avenue South enhancements as approved in the latest Capital Improvement Program.