City council to consider motion to put fencing around Galt Gardens
By Al Beeber - Lethbridge Herald on July 12, 2023.
Personal belongings are seen at Galt Gardens early Tuesday morning.
Herald photo by Al BeeberBREAKING NEWS: City Hall has just announced this OBM will be removed from Thursday’s agenda and instead will be put on the agenda of the July 25 city council meeting.
LETHBRIDGE HERALDabeeber@lethbridgeherald.com
An official business motion is being put forward Thursday at the Community Safety Policy Committee of city council to erect a wrought iron fence around Galt Gardens.
The committee meets at 1:30 p.m. in council chambers at City Hall and consists of chair Jenn Schmidt-Rempel, vice-chair Mark Campbell, Acting Mayor Ryan Parker and Nick Paladino.
The motion is being put forward by Mayor Blaine Hyggen and is co-sponsored by councillor John Middleton-Hope.
The motion states that the City is responsible for both the protection of its citizens and the stewardship of its assets including parks and pathways.
It adds that “the protection of public spaces is important to ensure the vibrancy of a city by creating an environment that could include using enhanced security measures and fencing around Galt Gardens that is both aesthetically attractive and provides enhanced safety for citizens.”
According to the motion, other Canadian communities have erected similar wrought iron fences to improve security for public spaces “that enhance positive community experiences, improve cleanliness, minimize unauthorized entry, and reduce the risk of vandalism, loitering, and other criminal activities. Fences act as a park boundary that is visually pleasing and inviting and provides a sense of security for park visitors, especially families and children and can build on other environmental design features such as the Pergola, Rotary Spray Park and new Play Space that encourage positive behaviors in this public space.”
The 9.16 acre downtown park was donated in perpetuity to the City of Lethbridge by the Galt family in 1909.
The motion calls Galt Gardens “a vital community space where residents will be able to engage in recreational activities, socialize, and connect with nature once again. By investing in a wrought iron fence, we would be demonstrating our commitment to maintaining and improving public spaces, which in turn fosters community pride and engagement. The enhanced safety and aesthetics would encourage more people to utilize the park, promoting a healthier and more active lifestyle.”
Hyggen and Middleton-Hope want administration to look into factors including cost, availability and implementation that would be involved in erecting the fence as a permanent park boundary and to report back to the SPC by Nov. 15 for council’s consideration.
“Protection of public spaces is important to ensure the vibrancy of a city by
creating an environment that could include using enhanced security measures and fencing around Galt Gardens that is both aesthetically attractive and provides enhanced safety for citizens,” adds the motion.
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Absolutely ludicrous! More taxpayer dollars wasted downtown, to what benefit to the taxpayer? Will they install gates and charge admission?
There are far better places to use that money!
Nice that city council is presently acknowledging there is an issue and individuals really do have genuine safety concerns, yet my observations in a few areas of the city have found that the people who are harming property, violating regulations, illegally consuming drugs, while leaving needles and more will figure out how to penetrate the created wrought iron fence. They cut through chain link fences and remove wood from wooden fences. When fences are fixed, they just create another hole. It will not work!
How about going after the perpetrators who are causing problems throughout the city? Concentrate on the issue, not its effects! How hard is that?
It would appear that the council continues to commit the same errors as Vancouver, which led to its failure. Sheep indiscriminately following a horrible strategy!
Absurdity at its finest. What about escape gates. There isn’t a parent in their right mind that will take their kids anywhere near the spray park. Be interesting when this spreads to Legacy Park. And it will. So fencing in a traditional sense is designed to keep people in or out. Which one is the case here.
Why can’t we just admit the obvious. Galt Gardens is a total loss. I do agree with the fence however. But to keep them in , not out . Perhaps we can contain the problem to downtown (for now at least).