Lethbridge is looking to host Canada’s largest mass participation sport event annually for three years. The Downtown Lethbridge Business Revitalization Zone (BRZ) is looking to host the PlayOn! Canada Street Hockey Festival in 2024, 2025 and 2026 and came to the city’s economic standing policy committee on April 19 to request support and money for the event.
The committee carried a motion to recommend council provide $210,000 from the major community event grant fund, contingent on the BRZ getting provincial and/or federal money to host the event. The money woudl
The event would be hosted in May each year and would be a two day festival, with about 70 street hockey teams participating. The BRZ estimates it could bring in about $700,000 in economic activity through lodging, restaurants and retail.
“I hope my colleagues will support this not just for the economic impact to Lethbridge which I think could be substantial, but also for the social impact,” said councillor Jeff Carlson. “Our downtown has been struggling and the more folks we can encourage to come down and visit downtown, change their negative perceptions of our downtown and encourage visitation from outside of our community even better, I think would be very important.”
The committee carried the motion unanimously and also recommended the mayor write a letter of support for the event, which the BRZ said will help secure funding for the remainder of the budget.
