File photo of a Pollinator Café planter in downtown Lethbridge, June 22, 2023. The Pollinator Café program has expanded with 11 new planters installed in Lethbridge's Warehouse District. (File photo: LNN)

By Justin Goulet

Pollinator Café project in Lethbridge sees expansion

Jul 13, 2023 | 9:40 AM

LETHBRIDGE, AB – The Pollinator Café program in Lethbridge has grown thanks to a new partnership.

Environment Lethbridge has teamed with students from the Dhillon School of Business at the University of Lethbridge, as well as local businesses, to expand the initiative with 11 new planters in the Warehouse District. Signs placed in planters feature QR codes that people can scan, bringing them to links with more information about local science programs related to monitoring pollinator populations and health.

The planters were first installed in downtown Lethbridge in 2022.

READ MORE: Pollinator Cafés add vibrancy to downtown Lethbridge

Kathleen Sheppard, executive director with Environment Lethbridge said, “Pollinators are critical for our local ecosystems and food supply.”

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“By planting the Pollinator Cafés with pollinator friendly plants, we hope to provide habitat in urban areas where it may be difficult for bees and butterflies to find food.”

The new planters can be seen near several local businesses on 2 and 3 avenues, including Purple Carrot Health Foods & Wellness, Bike Lane, Sonder, and Theoretically Brewing.

Environment Lethbridge has been working with Dhillon School of Business students since January, helping them plan and implement a project to bring more green infrastructure to Lethbridge.

Sheppard noted, “The students have been involved in every step of this project, from creating the project plan to actually planting the planters last week. We wanted to find a way for them to be involved in the complete project from start to finish.”

Dhillon School of Business student Abby Kunkel waters plants prior to planting. (Photo: Dhillon School of Business)

The expansion of the program ties into Lethbridge recently being named a Bee City. This designation gives residents the chance to be involved in helping local pollinators. The businesses involved in the project have agreed to adopt the new planters as ‘Pollinator Parents’, ensuring the impact of the initiative will extend to future years.

The Pollinator Café project has been funded through a grant from the Ecoaction Community Funding Program of Environment and Climate Change Canada. Businesses interested in getting involved in future initiatives can contact Environment Lethbridge at info@environmentlethbridge.org.

READ MORE: Lethbridge declared a Bee City

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