Lethbridge City Hall. (Lethbridge News Now)

By David Opinko

State of local emergency declared in Lethbridge

Lethbridge City Hall being closed to the public Thursday morning

Mar 19, 2020 | 5:55 AM

LETHBRIDGE, AB – After declaring a State of Local Emergency Wednesday afternoon, the City of Lethbridge is announcing further steps to limit the spread of COVID-19

“This now includes the closure of City Hall to all members of the public as of 8 a.m. on Thursday, March 19.”

Residents are asked to use the city’s online services rather than attending city hall in person. A full list of the City of Lethbridge’s online services can be found online here.

Anyone with urgent City Hall business can phone Lethbridge 311 to make an appointment with the required department.

“The decision to close City Hall to the public was made to ensure the health and safety of both City staff and residents. Employees will continue to work in the building with appropriate [measures] in place to promote social distancing.”

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Other closures

• Lethbridge Police Service has closed public access to several areas
• All Lethbridge Fire Halls are closed to the public. If you have urgent inquires for Lethbridge Fire and Emergency Services, please call Lethbridge 311 and they can help direct your call.
• Lethbridge Visitor Centre on Scenic Drive S. has closed until further notice.
• Access to the Cemetery office is by appointment only
• With restricted access to the Animal Shelter, residents can have dog licenses processed over the phone or by email. The Shelter will accept pictures of lost pets to compare to animals housed and will continue to facilitate adoptions and pet returns by appointment.

Additional protection for Transit drivers

• Wherever possible, we are blocking off any seats that are in the immediate area of Transit drivers to ensure they can maintain social distancing.
• Given the lower than normal rider numbers at this time, we do not anticipate this will pose any capacity issues.
• We are also asking riders to exit in the back as to limit contact.