Henry Amose took a break after the Welcome to the Northside Walk on Sept. 24 and played with the Jonny Bean Cafe sign, which was the last stop on the tour.
Lethbridge locals took a walk on the north side this week to learn about its past and prevent its history from fading away.
The Lethbridge Historical Society hosted Welcome to the North Side, an event aimed at helping people learn about the history of the buildings, on Sept. 24.
The event was hosted in celebration of Jonny Bean Coffee, which will soon become a marked historical building in Lethbridge.
Volunteers lead people to some of the older buildings in the city, with someone there to help explain the building’s history and the changes of hands that have been made over the years.
During the walk, there were multiple stops to show how seemingly normal buildings had an intricate and lengthy history.
Hope Wilkie Wiebe was one of the volunteers that helped out with explanations of the history behind the Lealta Theatre, now Neutral Ground Table Top Miniatures Books and Games on 13 St. N. She spoke on how important it is people learn about the history of Lethbridge and the history the north side has.
“For people to appreciate the history here and just to realize it’s not just a dirty old building here, there’s so much more to it and there’s just a love for it,” said Wiebe.
Because local Lethbridge history is important to her, she wants others to learn the history, as it can help them appreciate the city.
Jonny Bean Coffee made the final stop for the event, as the building is becoming a marked historical building in Lethbridge, as it has been standing for over 100 years.
George Kuhl, a member of the Lethbridge Historical Society, talked about why history can be so interesting and about why it’s important to keep the public knowledgeable on the history of the community.
“It’s important for citizen to know more about their communities and to help create more of a sense of community. I think it’s especially important as the city grows,” said Kuhl.
Kuhl also believes history is important as it helps bring the community closer together, as it gives everybody a common core.
The Lethbridge Historical Society plans on putting on more of these events in the future. For more information, call 403-320-4994.