CultureLINK bus connecting Lethbridge’s cultural stops

There’s a new cultural connector in Lethbridge that aims to help more people take in the city’s sights and sounds.

The CultureLINK pilot project made its inaugural journey Monday, as a new transit service transporting riders to destinations around the city.

“One of the things that is critically important for us it to really make accessible all the rich and vibrant cultural activities that we have,” Galt Museum and Archives CEO and executive director Darrin Martens said.

The Galt, Lethbridge Transit and Tourism Lethbridge partnered on the new program.

Two CultureLINK buses will stop at six destinations, including the Galt, Casa, the Southern Alberta Art Gallery and Nikka Yuko Japanese Garden.

The new line will also venture into the Oldman River bottom, with stops at Fort Whoop-Up and the Helen Schuler Nature Centre.

Lethbridge Transit general manager Tim Sanderson says that portion of the service also fills another important need.

“We get a lot of requests to provide transit service to the river bottom,” Sanderson said.

“With this partnership with the Galt, this also allows that as well. It really opens up the river bottom for really everybody to access with public transportation.”

Tweet This Click to share quote on Twitter: "With this partnership with the Galt, this also allows that as well. It really opens up the river bottom for really everybody to access with public transportation."

The free service will run seven days a week throughout the summer, until Sept. 4. Buses run on roughly 20 minute intervals from 10 a.m. until 7 p.m.

After more than three years of planning, Martens believes it’s the right moment to begin the project as the the city emerges from the pandemic.

“Everyone is getting out. Everyone wants to be out and experience nature and culture and travel again,” Martens said.

“This was the ideal time to launch this.”

Tweet This Click to share quote on Twitter: "This was the ideal time to launch this."

The goal of helping people explore the city’s cultural side.

“We’re really excited about providing barrier-free access to not only Lethbridgians, but anyone who is visiting our beautiful city this summer,” Martens said.

Schedules and more information are available on the Tourism Lethbridge website.

Tourism Lethbridge is also providing an ambassador Monday through Saturday, to share information with riders.