While construction isn’t expected to wrap up until later in June, officials with the Lethbridge Downtown BRZ are thrilled to see Festival Square take shape.
Community Director Sarah Amies says while it may be difficult for those simply walking or driving by to picture the finished product just yet, she remains adamant that with the expected influx of activity set to take over the area, it will quickly become evident to residents, and visitors to downtown Lethbridge.
“We are hoping to have activity in Festival Square more often than not,” she says. “This will be a focal point in the downtown, the location couldn’t be better for the BRZ because it’s outside our office windows, so we can keep an eye on it.”
The $1.71 million Festival Square Redevelopment, funded through the provincial government’s Municipal Stimulus Program, will take the current space at 3rd Avenue and 6th Street, and transform it into a year-round urban plaza.
Amies says it was not only vital to claim back a spot for residents to call their own for various events, but it was equally important to ensure that the historical aspect of the downtown core was not lost.
“We are also extremely mindful of the historic importance of some of our downtown, so we have made sure that stays intact, and the look of Festival Square is nicely complementary to our historic downtown,” she says.
“We have a mix of historic buildings surrounding us, but also some very fine technology that would make the visitor’s experience that much more pleasant when they do come down.”
Lighting Up Festival Square, the official kick off of the space, will take place from June 22nd-25th.