SPC to hear land donation offer

By Herald on July 4, 2024.

The Assets and Infrastructure Standing Policy Committee of Lethbridge city council today will hear about a proposed donation of land at 309 2 Ave. S. by the Chinese National League Society for use as a downtown pocket park. If the donation is accepted by city council, through grants the society will fund the entire cost of the park's construction with maintenance and repair costs to be borne by the City. Herald photo by Al Beeber

Al Beeber – Lethbridge Herald

The Assets and Infrastructure Standing Policy Committee of Lethbridge city council today will hear about an offer from the Chinese National League Society to donate land for a pocket park downtown.

A report by Urban Revitalization manager Crystal Scheit and Chinese National League Society president Moway Jang says property at 309 2 Ave. S. is being proposed for development as a pocket park.

The now vacant site once was home to the Chinese National League building but it was demolished because of structural and safety concerns.

The society wants to develop a pocket park at the site to preserve the history of the local Chinese community “with the hope of reinvigorating investment, interest and development in Lethbridge’s Chinatown,” sways the report.

Opportunity Lethbridge has helped the society explore options for the park and assisted them in getting a conceptual design as well as quotes for construction and maintenance.

The society plans to fund the capital development of the park with the City being responsible for ongoing maintenance and repair costs if city council accepts the donation of the property which has an assessed value of $84,000.

Because it’s to be donated, the Chinese National League Society isn’t seeking compensation for the property which is 290 square meters in size.

If the donation is accepted, the report says the City’s Urban Revitalization department would manage and oversee construction on behalf of the society to ensure that City standards are followed.

The SPC will be asked to recommend that council accept the donation contingent upon several conditions:

a. The Chinese National League Society securing adequate grant funding to

complete the project;

b. The results of the environmental assessment are satisfactory of the City

Manager;

c. Execution of a land donation agreement in a form satisfactory to the City

Manager; and

d. The park being constructed as depicted in attachment 1 prior to Jan. 1, 2028. 

The estimated cost of the park project is $549,505 with the society planning to fund all of its cost through grants.

Annual maintenance costs are estimated to be $2,076.

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