Lethbridge needs to be considered relative to similar sized cities

By Letter to the Editor on June 12, 2021.

Editor:
There has been much controversy about the need for a performing arts centre in Lethbridge.
Most recently, the focus has been on the fact that we are not Calgary, so why would we try to emulate Calgary?
We are a city of almost 100,000 and the Yates’ seating is 474.
Perhaps it would be more reasonable to compare Lethbridge to communities of comparable size and see what facilities they have.
So! Medicine Hat’s population is 66,000 and the Esplanade seats 800. Red Deer’s population is 100,000 and their theatre seats 700.
About 69,000 people live in Grande Prairie and enjoy their 508 seat performing arts centre. Even Fort McMurray at 66,000 has a theatre seating 450.
Luckily for these cities, if someone did tell them they did not need and could not afford these centres – they did not listen.
In closing, the escalating personal attacks on our mayor and council have no place in a reasonable debate.
As for Mr. Babki’s excellent letter – I absolutely disagree with his opinion but I respect the quality of his research and the clarity of his writing – and I would never call him “stupid”!
Leslie Lavers
Lethbridge