By Justin Goulet (@JustinGoulet21)

Proposed redevelopment at Exhibition Park making progress

Mar 22, 2019 | 12:23 PM

LETHBRIDGE, AB – In a few years, Exhibition Park could look a lot different.

The Exhibition Park & Trade Centre Development project, also known as Exolution, is coming along.

Exhibition Park’s Chief Operating Officer Mike Warkentin said the facility has been a part of Lethbridge for over 100 years.

“Exolution is actually the proposed redevelopment here at Exhibition Park. It’s been ongoing since around 2006 I believe, and it’s really looking at modernizing our facilities here at Exhibition Park to raise us to an industry standard across Canada,” he told Lethbridge News Now.

“The more important conversation to be had about it is really as a catalyst for here on the south side of Lethbridge and what could potentially be in the Henderson Lake region.”

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Warkentin explained that a couple of years ago, Lethbridge City Council gave Exhibition Park $1.1 million to create a shovel-ready plan. That amount was matched by the provincial government.

“We’re carrying along well in the process of that, with a deadline to be shovel-ready in June of this year so our architect team and design team is absolutely on track to meet those goals. We should have some exciting announcements in the next couple of months coming out about the project,” he said.

Warkentin added that if they receive approval from council and “other levels of government” on the design plan, they will be able to move forward. The design plans are slated to be presented in June.

According to Warkentin, the design incorporates three main themes close to Lethbridge – agriculture, the coal industry and the transportation/railroad industry.

The upgraded facility would be around 250,000 square feet.

Some of the features include a grand entrance and communal gathering place with lake views on the northwest corner and former site of the Henderson Lake campground.

Other features include a designated pick up and drop-off area, 30 to 40-foot ceilings with oversize bay doors and 25,000 square feet of meeting and convention space, and 172,000 square feet of sub-dividable trade show space. All entrances will be handicap-accessible.

“The facility being upgraded to industry standard is key to our business here at Exhibition Park. There’s a lot of events that don’t come to the city of Lethbridge right now because we just don’t have the facilities to host them,” he said.

“When events don’t come to Exhibition Park or the University, they leave the city entirely because there isn’t another facility that can take on these larger events, so it is key for the future economic development in the community to have a facility that can take on these world-class events and really bring in many thousands of visitors to this community.”

Warkentin said that annually, Exhibition Park brings in about $74 million to the region. With upgrades completed, he said that could go up to just above $96 million per year. The project could also bring in around 360 new construction jobs for Lethbridge and the surrounding area.