The MPE Link Pathway: Are more active living options important in today’s society? With Henry Doeve and Alvin Fritz

The ability to ride your bike off highway and jog or walk safely along a 15 km paved pathway between Lethbridge and Coaldale is something the LINK Regional Pathway Society is working towards. And they have the support of the City and Lethbridge County, St. Mary Irrigation District (SMRID) and the Town of Coaldale. The society has been working on a vision to connect the Henderson Lake area with the Birds of Prey Centre in Coaldale using the SMRID canal easement running through irrigated farm land.

The total cost of the project, including picnic shelters along the pathway, will be more than $5 million, of which $2 million has been raised so far. It is hoped that within a few years, enough money will be found to complete this pathway, which recently received Trans Canada Trail designation. Construction of the pathway from Coaldale to Hwy 512 started in the fall of 2023 and should be ready for use this year. Funding is also in place to complete crossing under Hwy 512 and further along past Vista Meadows.

The speakers will articulate the LINK Regional Pathway Society’s plans for this exciting, but challenging project and argue that active living options such as this pathway, are increasingly important for our mental and physical well-being.

Speakers: Henry Doeve and Alvin Fritz

Henry Doeve moved to Coaldale from Agassiz, BC in 1981 to operate a dairy farm. Together with his family he ran that farm for 36 years retiring from the dairy industry in 2017. Henry has been an active member of the Southern Alberta community for 20 years, serving on many community boards and among them, Lethbridge County Councilor from 2007 until 2017. Henry quit smoking 18 years ago and bought a bicycle. One thing led to another and the year that Henry turned 50, he had run a full marathon, 3 half marathons and cycled across BC. Henry is currently chairman of the Link Pathway Society, a local not for profit grassroots initiative with the goal of linking the Lethbridge-Coaldale communities with multi use walking and biking trail.

Being the son of a prolific masonry contractor, Alvin Fritz began reading architectural drawings at age 12 in the context of working for his father’s construction company, Otto Fritz Masonry Construction (Leth) Ltd. Alvin began his post-secondary studies at the University of Lethbridge majoring in Fine Arts and received his Bachelor of Arts and Science degree 1980. Alvin chose to pursue his career in architecture at University of British Columbia from where he graduated in 1983, receiving the Royal Architectural Institute of Canada Gold Medal, awarded to the graduate with the highest academic standing.

After winning the Deutsche Akademische Austausch Dienst (DAAD) scholarship to study Heritage preservation and restoration in Munich, Alvin moved with his family to Germany for one year to complete his studies at the Technische Universitat Munchen. Upon his return to Canada he gained a broad range of experience in all aspects of the architectural profession. Alvin was employed in numerous architectural offices, offering his strengths in design, building technology and graphic representation. In 1989, he founded his own independent comprehensive practice.