Construction set to begin on park in Lethbridge's Galt Gardens

The City of Lethbridge says construction is soon to begin on a brand new playground in Galt Gardens. (Supplied)

The City of Lethbridge says before the end of the year, children and their families will have a new place to play in Galt Gardens.

Work on the Galt Gardens Inclusive and Accessible Play Space is scheduled to begin later in June and will be located in the southeast corner of the four-hectare park.

Officials say the new installation "will add to the community vibrancy and the vitality of the downtown" by encouraging many different opportunities to residents.

"We are thrilled to be adding this play space to the ever-increasing amount of positive development in downtown Lethbridge and we believe this project is a major step forward to helping public perception," said Crystal Scheit, Lethbridge's urban revitalization manager, in a statement.

The playground consists of inclusive and accessible play equipment, rubber surfacing, plaza space and park furniture.

"The addition of an all-accessible play space in Galt Gardens does much to help us realize our goal that sees the downtown as a vibrant destination in which everyone can live, work and play," said the downtown business revitalization zone's executive director, Sarah Amies.

The new playground has a total cost of $662,000, but more than 50 per cent of that is being covered by the federal government's community revitalization fund.

Remaining funding is split up between previously approved budgets ($152,000), Lethbridge's capital improvement program ($125,000) and the Kal-Tire Replay Fund ($10,000).

It has a tentative opening date of mid-September.