Lethbridge summer businesses busy during latest heat wave

With another heat warning issued for Lethbridge and parts of southern Alberta, businesses that rely on the sun are taking full advantage.

“It’s been crazy here almost every day since mid-July,” says Ashley Ohno, co-owner of Milkman Milk Bar.

“The warm weather and sunshine naturally make people seek out cool, sweet treats like ice cream.”

According to Environment Canada, daytime temperatures can range from 29 to 26 degrees, while nighttime lows range from 14 to 18 degrees.

While the heat may be too much for some, others are grateful for it.

“We’ve been really fortunate that it hasn’t been an extremely smoky season so far,” said Karlee Ascione, a programmer at Recreation Excellence, which operates the Henderson Outdoor Pool.

“The fantastic weather we have had in July, including the heatwave, has meant that the pool has been quite busy.”

She says crowds have remained steady compared to previous years and many people are trying to find ways to stay cool.

“On average, on a weekday, temperatures can range between 500 and 700 degrees and on the weekend, if it’s a particularly hot day, even 700 and higher,” Ascione said.

Stay Hydrated: AHS

According to Alberta Health Services, staying hydrated is essential to brave the heat and stay safe.

Interfaith Food Bank and Lethbridge Food Bank continue to conduct a citywide water drive for vulnerable populations.

“From our facility alone, we are handling 15 cases per agency per day,” said Danielle McIntyre, executive director of Interfaith Food Bank.

To help, more than a dozen businesses are offering free water.

As part of the BlueW initiative, BlueW stickers are placed on the windows of participating locations and an online map is available.

There are also four public water stations set up in Nicholas Sheran Park, Legacy Park, Henderson Lake Park and Galt Gardens.

While demand for bottled water is high during the summer peak, McIntyre says support is keeping pace with growing demand.

“We’re really excited that the City of Lethbridge is also matching the donations from the community,” McIntyre said. “We’ve been able to purchase some of it up front, but we’re also starting to see different groups doing their own water drives to contribute to the larger project.”

Lower temperatures are expected for the beginning of next week.