Revitalization key after fires destroy pair of historic Lethbridge buildings: enterprise group – Lethbridge

Firefighters continued to survey the stays of the Lethbridge Lodge on Monday, the entrance of which has been diminished to a pile of wooden and ice.

A fireplace broke out on the historic constructing within the early hours of Feb. 24, inflicting intensive injury.

“We’ve obtained two very massive holes within the downtown now,” stated Lethbridge BRZ government director Sarah Amies.

“Two historic buildings as nicely, which is a big disgrace. A part of our draw within the downtown is that this stunning, historic downtown website.”

A couple of block away on 2nd Avenue, a second historic fixture of downtown Lethbridge was misplaced in a hearth lower than a month in the past.

Now, an empty area is left the place the Bow on Tong constructing as soon as stood.

“By way of different companies, there’s clearly a priority about security as a result of in each of these conditions, there are companies instantly adjoining to the buildings which have set hearth,” Amies stated.

Lethbridge police are calling Friday’s hearth suspicious, asking anybody within the space between 1:45 to 2:12 a.m. that morning to contact authorities in the event that they noticed any individuals or exercise across the lodge round that point.

The town was unable to supply an replace on the Bow on Tong hearth investigation on Monday, however police affirm to World Information they’re additionally concerned in that investigation.

Each buildings had been vacant on the time of their fires.

One downtown enterprise proprietor believes continued revitalization within the space will keep away from additional incidents.

“We have to discover a answer to get individuals (within the downtown), as a result of the extra you utilize an area, the extra optimistic exercise, the extra it retains adverse exercise out,” stated Levi Cox, a downtown enterprise proprietor and resident.

“It’s essential to maintain these buildings full, occupied and rented.”

1:33
Metropolis’s Financial SPC votes in opposition to Lethbridge parking high quality will increase

Earlier Video

Subsequent Video

“Completely all of it comes all the way down to enterprise revitalization, advertising and marketing the downtown as an ideal vacation spot to construct a enterprise. We’re all the time working with homeowners about creating a extremely vibrant vacation spot in order that persons are extra fascinated with leasing and/or shopping for these buildings,” Amies stated.

“The extra we do to fill these empty areas, the much less we’re going to have conditions like this happen.”

After the most recent hearth, the town is reminding enterprise homeowners and residents to make sure vacant buildings are safe.

&copy 2023 World Information, a division of Corus Leisure Inc.