Lethbridge Sport Council logo

History

From our origins as a Sports Bid Committee in 1998, to becoming an organization that is formally recognized as a unified voice for sport in 2008, our committment to advocating and promoting the values and benefits of sport has never waned.

The Lethbridge Sport Council is a non-profit sport organization, existing to support the enhancement and development of sport in our community. Our vision of becoming the “Voice for Sport” has been realized, through the involvement and commitment of many local leaders.

2023

2019

  • Launched the new Lethbridge Sport Council logo
  • Pathway to Participation for Lethbridge Indigenous Families is a one-year project funded by the Province of Alberta Recreation and Physical Activity Division.
  • Founding member of Lethbridge Plays, a group of local stakeholders brought together by the unifying belief in the importance of play and the benefits play can have on our society.

2018

  • Lethbridge Sport Council was awarded the contract to manage Team Lethbridge for the Southern Alberta Summer Games.
  • Developed the 2019-2022 Strategic Plan
  • Hosted the inaugural Fast and Female Champ Chat to introduce self-identified girls ages 8-14 to inspiring athlete role models in a non-competitive and fun-filled environment. Fast and Female‘s mission is to keep girls healthy and active in sports.

2017

  • Lethbridge 2017: Get Active in Sport celebrated Canada's 150th birthday with two year-long projects,150 Things To Do in 2017 #YQLChallenge and 52-sports-in-52-weeks.
  • Launched Board leadership Lethbridge, a collaboration of community leaders working together to provide access to training opportunities for Board members of non-profit organizations.

2016

  • Lethbridge Sport Council assumed the responsibility to host SportFest.
  • Roving Gyms was launched in partnership with Lethbridge Public Library and Lethbridge Early Years Coalition. Roving Gyms are free indoor play spaces for children five and under and their parents or caregivers. The Roving Gyms program nurtures physical literacy, the love of movement, and provides an environment for families to connect.

2015

  • Lethbridge Sport Council co-hosted the Inaugural SportFest founded by Troy Vincent. SportFest is a free interactive event promoting sport, active recreation, and physical literacy.
  • The program and communication coordinator position becomes full-time

2014

  • Sport Tourism Committee made the recommendation to the Lethbridge Sport Council to approve the Sport Tourism Business Plan
  • Lethbridge Sport Council lead the Lethbridge 2019 Canada Winter Games Bid Committee in a year-long process. Although Red Deer was awarded the Games, the bid process was a great community builder connecting sport, arts, venues, government, and business.
  • Joined Team Lethbridge consisting of 19 diverse partner organizations working together to raise awareness of how the city of Lethbridge contributes to the province.

2013

  • Hosted Lethbridge Sport for Life Month to promote local sport programs, help make connections, and provide sport-related education and development opportunities.
  • Hosted the 100th Grey Cup Tour Fan Celebration

2012

  • Lethbridge Sport Council led a community sports bid committee in 2010, managed the transition to establish a local organizing board, who then took the responsibility to plan and host the 2012 Alberta Summer Games.

2011

  • Moved office to the newly expanded Nicholas Sheran Ice Centre along with Alberta Sport Development Centre Southwest.
  • Hosted the Inaugural Lethbridge Sport Council Achievement Awards
  • Lethbridge Sport Council spearheaded the development of a partnership model for sport tourism in the city of Lethbridge
  • Participated in provincial discussions in the development of the Active Alberta: A recreation, Active living And Sport Policy.
  • Invited to participate in the Canada Sport Policy Renewal 2.0 sessions in the development of the Canada Sport Policy 2012-2022.

2010

  • A part-time program and communication coordinator was hired and the office moved into the Old Court House.
  • In conjunction with the Vancouver Olympic Torch Relay, Lethbridge Sport Council and its members hosted a Winter Ice-Sports Family Festival.
  • Family Sport Days were hosted on statutory holidays in partnership with local sport organizations from 2010 until 2014.
  • Launched the LethbridgeSportCouncil.ca website

2009

  • First staff was hired in August and a temporary office was set up next to the Recreation and Culture Department at City Hall.

2008

  • Lethbridge Sport Council was incorporated as a non-profit sport organization, pursuant to the provisions of the Alberta Societies Act, and recognized by the City of Lethbridge as an independent body.

2007

  • Brian Bourassa lead a Strategic Planning process that included information workshops, community consultation sessions (Future Search Conference), and consultation with an ‘experts’ panel to identify future trends. The document “In Pursuit of a Preferred Future” was written
  • Appropriately, the City of Lethbridge Sport and Recreation Policy Steering Committee brought attention to this issue in their discussion paper entitled, “In Pursuit of a Preferred Future,”
  • Lethbridge City Council approved a municipal Sport & Recreation Policy recognizing that sport and recreation is an integral entity within Lethbridge.

2004

  • Lethbridge City Council recognized the importance of sport and identified the need for a Civic Sport Policy.
  • A document called “Working Together for Tomorrow” was prepared, identifying the desire to be “a healthy, attractive and economically viable city.”
  • Based on the understanding that recreation is an integral entity within the city and that the recreation delivery system has a significant relationship with sport development, the objective to define the role of the City in support of an active and healthy sport and recreation community was expanded and funded as a council initiative to develop a sport and recreation policy for the City of Lethbridge.
  • Extensive consultations with stakeholders confirmed the fact that a unified voice for sport was a major area of priority for the local sport community (Sport and Recreation Future Search Conference Summary of Proceedings, 2007).

2001

  • The Sports Bid Committee marketing plan identified the need to become an advocate for sports, to increase the awareness of sport opportunities in the community, and to establish a stronger link with sport organization in three key areas
  • To be an advocate for sports
  • To increase the awareness of sport opportunities in the community
  • To establish a stronger link with sport organizations.
  • To do this, the Sports Bid Committee determined that it needed to create a Sport Council.

1999

  • The sport community gave their approval making it possible for the first AGM to be held January 25, 1999, followed by City Council support at their February 22, 1999 meeting.

1998

  • The Lethbridge Sports Bid Committee was formed to assist local sport organizations’ bid for major sport competitions and develop the city’s bid for major provincial and national multi-sport competitions.
  • The forming process came about through an ad hoc committee consisting of Dr. Gary Bowie, Mal Clewes, Carol Gemer, Jane Kremeniuk, Herman Maltz, Brent Seely, and Carol Thibert.