One of the projects announced by VisitLethbridge.com on Tuesday, May 9, 2023 was the Discover Lethbridge Initiative, a tourism driven interactive web-based Extended Reality experience. (Photo: LNN)

By Christian Oldale

Four major tourism and community initiatives launching in Lethbridge

May 9, 2023 | 2:09 PM

LETHBRIDGE, AB – Four new tourism and community initiatives are coming to Lethbridge this summer and fall to promote the city and surrounding region.

Officials with VisitLethbridge.com provided details on the various projects on Tuesday, May 9, 2023.

The first is the Discover Lethbridge Initiative. It is a tourism driven interactive web-based Extended Reality (XR) experience, with virtual reality tours and a 3D map of Lethbridge and southern Alberta. The new digital tool will enable visitors and residents to receive push notifications about projects and plans from businesses and attractions.

The campaign will also see signage promoting Lethbridge at the airports in Lethbridge, Calgary, Edmonton and Great Falls, Montana, and augmented reality experiences, including the Lethbridge Viaduct, Canes Puck Storm, and Nature Tracker.

The second initiative announced is that VisitLethbridge.com will be promoting chuckwagon driver Doug Irvine at the Calgary Stampede from July 7 to 16, 2023. This summer marks the 100th anniversary of the chuckwagon races at the Calgary Stampede. Chuckwagon driver Kris Molle won the Rangeland Derby Championship Tarp in 2022, and was supported by VisitLethbridge.com last summer.

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Irvine said, “It’s huge. It kind of sets up your whole year and just kind of lets you know where you’re at. You can invest a lot more into your horses and spring training.”

The third and fourth initiatives announced are two large scale hockey tournaments.

From August 31 to September 3, 2023, the Lethbridge Oldtimers Sports Association, ENMAX Centre, and the Lethbridge Lodging Association are partnering with VisitLethbridge.com to bring the annual Ice Age Classic. The tournament will have up to 48 teams, with up to 36 of them being from outside of Lethbridge. Games will be played at the Lethbridge ice arenas with the ENMAX Centre acting as the hub for the event.

In the second tournament, the Lethbridge Minor Hockey Association will host the inaugural VisitLethbridge.com Annual Invitational Christmas Classic U-11/U-13 Tournament. The four-day tournament will run from December 28 to 31, and will include 27 visiting teams to Lethbridge. The tournament will be held in the following arenas:

• Cavendish Farms Centre
• Nicholas Sheran Arena
• Either the Henderson Ice Centre or the Logan Boulet Arena

Keith Hitchcock, General Manager of Lethbridge Minor Hockey said, “This is big for us. We’ve [managed] numerous tournaments but they’ve all been in the small numbers, 8 or 10 teams, because we really only had the two rinks available.”

He added, “By doing this at Christmas time, this really allows us to expose everything, bring it up to four rinks and 60 teams eventually, and turn the [Christmas] Classic into something.”

Officials with VisitLethbridge.com believe the two hockey tournaments could generate an estimated $1.1 million for Lethbridge and local businesses.

Read more at LethbridgeNewsNow.com