Safety study ranking good news for the city
By Lethbridge Herald on July 22, 2023.
FROM THE HALL
Blaine Hyggen – Mayor of Lethbridge
If you’ve happened to look at the current 14-day forecast, you know it’s about to get very hot in our city. While this can be enjoyable for many, sustained high temperatures can also very quickly become quite dangerous.
As temperatures are expected to reach 32 C or above for most of the next two weeks, please check the City of Lethbridge website for any updates to the Extreme Temperature Response Protocol.
Heat waves cause an increase in heat-related illness, enhance drought conditions and can cause a significant long-term draw on power.
Residents are encouraged to be mindful of the use of electric appliances and keep air-conditioning units at a moderate temperature to help prevent overloading the power grid.
I want to remind everyone that seniors, low-income people and those with mental health issues are likely most at-risk during extreme temperatures.
The City’s website has tips and ways to ensure residents are staying cool and safe during the expected high temperatures, as well as a list of local service organizations to help during an extreme weather declaration. More information here: https://www.lethbridge.ca/news/posts/hot-tips-to-beat-the-heat-this-summer/
Please be safe. Wear sunscreen. Limit outdoor activity. Drink plenty of water.
On that note, we have recently installed four new drinking water stations as part of a pilot project around the city. The water stations are hooked up directly to water hydrants which allows easy access to water 24/7.
During this pilot phase, the stations are located at Nicholas Sheran Park (near the pathway just south of the elementary school), Legacy Park (immediately north of the spray park), Henderson Lake Park (near the Nikka Yuko parking lot) and in Galt Gardens (directly in front of the SAAG building on 3 Avenue). More information is here: https://www.lethbridge.ca/news/posts/city-pilots-drinking-water-stations-for-summer/
Lethbridge was recently ranked No. 9 for the safest metropolitan place to live in Canada. This was according to a study compiled by Rentola, a rental home search engine, using data on four areas: crime severity index, non-violent and violent crime severity index, crime-solving rate and how many police officers there are per capita. Cities were then sorted by their average score.
Calgary was ranked No. 20, Edmonton was 21 – and Lethbridge was the only Alberta city in the Top 10. The site notes that “although the safest cities in Canada have notably lower crime rates compared to other areas, it’s essential to recognize that no city is completely immune to all types of crime. However, the top-ranked cities have demonstrated effective safety initiatives, community engagement, and proactive measures that significantly contribute to their overall safety.”
Thank you to several local media outlets, including The Herald, for running this good news story.
And while this is great news, it is one study. We know that other studies and reports can use and read data to support other narratives. The Lethbridge Census Metropolitan Area (CMA) was ranked No. 1 on the 2021 Statistics Canada Crime Severity Index. Numbers for 2022 should be anticipated in the next few weeks.
It is important to acknowledge that our CSI number has decreased each of the past three reports. The Stats Canada data also uses the Lethbridge CMA, which includes several communities outside the city.
For comparison, Red Deer does not have a CMA but their CSI was 30 points higher than the city of Lethbridge (when you remove the surrounding communities). While not without some challenges like those most municipalities across North America are facing, we most certainly have a beautiful and safe community here in Lethbridge. We need to remember that.
A recurring question I, and the rest of Lethbridge city council, often get is a variation “why aren’t you doing more on this, this or that topic?”
People often refer to items such as social issues, economic development, tourism, and the list goes on.
What residents need to understand is that not every matter is covered under the primary jurisdiction of city council. As such, we spend a lot of time and effort advocating to other orders of government on behalf of our residents.
This week was a great example. I invited several Alberta government ministers to our city and I was able to have engaging and meaningful conversations with them. Our council will always continue to advocate for services and needs for our city and we hope to have further good news to share in the weeks and months ahead.
City council will meet on Tuesday. You can see the agenda and watch the live stream here https://agendas.lethbridge.ca/AgendaOnline and public attendance is always welcome.
Late last year, city council made one of its easiest decisions of recent memory when we approved a new multi-year sponsorship deal with the Wade Galloway Foundation to rename the site formally known as the SLP Skate Park to the Wade Galloway Skate Park.
On Saturday at 11:30 a.m., we will have a grand renaming event, at the corner of Mayor Magrath Drive and Parkside Drive South, featuring a free BBQ for the first 200 visitors.
As most people are aware, Wade and I were close personal friends. His untimely passing in 2014 was an extremely sad and tragic time and I still think about him frequently. His passion and dedication led to the construction of the skate park and I am very proud of the legacy he has left.
I’m excited that one of the marquee events of the summer is set for next weekend, as the 2023 Lethbridge International Air Show is set to hit skies from July 29-30. More information is available here: https://lethbridgeairshow.com/.
The air show will also be one of the highlights for visitors coming to Lethbridge as part of the Saint-Laurent Senior Exchange Program. Saint-Laurent, Quebec, is the official twin city of Lethbridge. The two communities entered a formal city-to-city twinning arrangement in 1967 as part of a Canadian Centennial project to promote cultural and social relationships between Eastern and Western Canada. Exchanges occur annually, alternately involving seniors and students. This year’s exchange begins with the Saint-Laurent delegation traveling to Lethbridge from July 26-31, with the Lethbridge delegation travelling to Saint-Laurent from Aug. 30-Sept. 4.
I am also pleased to announce that the Mayor’s Community Barbecue will return following the Whoop-Up Days parade on Aug. 22. I will share further details in next month’s column.
As always, be kind to one another.
29-28
Safest place to live….FAKE NEWS ! This Mayor has his head in the sand.
Yes this council is getting a very weak impression. Time for a change. They can all go and retire to their mostly white and wealthy neighbourhoods. And leave the rest of us to the wolves who pay for all this crap.
As Montreal13 clicks his ruby shoes, he implores: “Please fix everything. Please do it for free. Please post a police officer at my door to protect me from the bad ol’ world. But remember, for free.”
I live in a part of town where everyone around me has ancestry from around the world.
We are all in trouble if city council and administration uses disinformation spread by companies to promote business as Rentola did with their report which counters what is found in the Canada Crime Index’s recent release.
Smoke and mirrors will not change facts! Read the recent Canada Crime Index report and also read the information on the link below:
“Lethbridge #2 of 8 most dangerous cities in Canada – May 7, 2023“
https://immigrationnewscanada.ca/most-dangerous-cities-in-canada/
You cannot solve a problem until you acknowledge there is a problem!
Time for leadership change! Both the LPS Deputy Chief and the Mayor are pushing the Rentola report as facts, when it is disinformation and if you feel a leader should act in such a manner then it is time you were fired!
When you call 911 to report a crime, those stats are used in the Canada Crime Index and people don’t bother to call many of the crimes in because they know it will take over 4 hours, if not the next day for police to call them or respond. Many of the crimes do not get called in now, which would increase the index!
Stop misleading the public and fix the problem!
This is certainly bad news for your Fear and Outrage Club.
Sad that your drug impaired mind can’t see past your next fix. You just can’t see the facts and the truth.
Any who do not like to bring our police force up to national standards are either making money off the crisis, are part of the crisis such as the addicts/criminals/organized crime, or who just refuse to obey the laws that make this country great and pays for your AISH!
I guess you didn’t read the analysis. At the 90th percentile for police to citizen ratio, in the fiftieth for solving crime. If you are looking for national standards, performance might be considered.
Don’t waste your time with SophieR. He if part of the issues of this city and thinks it is okay for a naked drug crazed female addict to harass a scared adolescent girl trying to use the washroom in the city bus terminal in peace. His mind is unable to descern what is acceptable in society and what is wrong. He couldn’t understand what the problem was!
Go by the Canadian Crime Index!
Poor girl. Did you ever have her see a counsellor for her trauma, like I suggested?
Who let you out of your mostly white and wealthy and protected neighborhood?
Quit generalizing. What is your neighborhood?
Kudos to the Mayor for representing a realistic and positive image of the level of public safety in Lethbridge.
It is a shame that a small group of terrified old men will try to misrepresent this reality to the detriment of businesses and our local economy. Nobody benefits from irrational fear and hysterics.
We have a problem (like every other city) that can be addressed with a level-headed plan and adequate resources.
There are no terrified old men in this group and some of the group are lawyers! Stating facts is not spreading irrational fear!
Chris you really need stop these attacks!
Is SophieR the old H2O??
‘Comic relief’ is back at it.
Is buckweed a small African American child?
NIce of you to come back.
Nice? ya right. Got it figured out now?
Now we need ‘pursuit diver’ to identify ‘Chris’ and name out everyone, even you buckweed.
And ‘lawyers on this board’ to chime in on ‘pursuit diver’ trying to spit names out and ‘SayWhat..’calling ‘SophieR a drug addict living on AISH.
Chris who? Better get it right!
Y’know..lawyers and stuff.
C’mon Pursuit! Start naming names or shut the hell up!
Lots of bullying tactics going on here as the accuser is the bully. Seen this sticht many times, some just change their names and produce the same garbage.