Motion calls on council to repurpose pavilions

Meeting to also discuss potential demolition of historic building

Can the old pavilions at the Lethbridge Exhibition be repurposed?

Acting mayor Ryan Parker will be asking that question at city council’s next meeting on Tuesday.

Parker will be presenting an official business motion that directs administration to explore the feasibility of repurposing those pavilions for recreational opportunities and report back to council by the end of the year.

In his motion, Parker states that the three pavilions have previously been used for recreational activities and points out they are owned by the City.

His motion also points out that there is demand for more recreational space in the city which is expected to have a population of more than 150,000 by the year 2050.

He says a 2022 audit and analysis of indoor court/multipurpose space shows that the emerging popularity of pickleball has created an additional demand for daytime use of the limited gymnasium space here. A 2021 report on showed that gym use in primetime hours is at full capacity.

Parker’s motion states the cost of demolishing them will be substantial.

The Exhibition earlier this year made a submission to council asking for more than $4.6 million to demolish the three pavilions.

In his submission, Exhibition CEO Mike Warkentin told council if the pavilions aren’t demolished, there would be significant challenges to parking at the new Agri-Food Hub and Trade Centre which is opening this spring.

Also on the agenda will be a request to be submitted by senior community planner Ross Kilgour for council to consider a request to demolish the Manie Opera Society building at 318 2 Ave. S.

The request of the property, which is designated a Municipal Historic Resource, is being made by its owner.

The submission states a fire on Jan. 31 at the adjacent Bow On Tong building necessitated its demolition.

That same fire caused damage to the Manie Opera Society building because of both the blaze and water. A structural engineer, says Kilgour’s submission, recommends demolishing it due to the damage and the property owner’s lack of financial ability to stabilize it.

Because it is a Municipal Heritage Resource, the building can’t be torn down without written approval by city council or a person appointed by council to provide that approval.

Approval also must come from the Alberta government because the building is also listed as a Provincial Historic Resource, a designation recently granted on April 27.

The demolition is not supported by the Historic Places Advisory Committee which would prefer it salvaged if there is a remote chance of that possibility.

In his submission Kilgour states HPAC recently passed a resolution stating it’s “not prepared to recommend that city council direct administration to issue an intervention approval for demolition at this time.”

However, the City’s department of Planning & Design is recommending council issue that intervention approval due to safety concerns, the property owner’s financial constraints and to stay aligned “with the province’s decision to approve demolition and backfilling.”

The Manie Opera Society Building was cited as having numerous character-defining elements when it was designated a Municipal Historic Resource.