Lethbridge, Alberta, Canada

Lethbridge Heart of the City Master Plan

Office for Urbanism was retained as Project Lead to develop a Master Plan for Downtown Lethbridge. Centred upon the City's historic Galt Gardens, the Master Plan provides guidelines for the long term growth and revitalization of the symbolic, cultural and functional centre of Lethbridge, Alberta's third largest city. Starting from Lethbridge's impressive turn-of-the-century heritage architecture and block pattern, the Plan aims to build upon the area's existing commercial strengths, re-connect the Downtown to surrounding residential neighbourhoods, and provide a framework to re-establish Lethbridge as a regional centre, tourist destination and investment draw.

The Master Plan provides the framework to guide public and private decision-making in a comprehensive and integrated manner, so as to ensure the emergence of a coherent, vibrant, and economically vital Downtown. The Master Plan also aligns previous studies with new strategies, presenting a powerful long-term vision with the potential to transform both the Downtown and the entire city. The Plan includes a districts and neighbourhoods framework, a public realm framework, a built form framework, development design guidelines, and implementation strategies. By prioritizing the strategic implementation of the Downtown Vision, the Master Plan aims to target interventions that achieve the greatest effect, value and longevity to set the stage for success.

The Plan garnered both the AACIP 2008 Award for Planning Excellence and the 2008 Design Exchange Award of Excellence.