Catching Up With Council - Councillor Ryan Parker

Putting your hand up to become an elected public official is not for the faint of heart. After the election campaigning is over, the real work begins. There is much more to a City Councillor role than attending weekly committee and Council meetings. The volume of information, context and legislative requirements can be daunting.  

Preparations are already underway for the next municipal election, scheduled for October 20, 2025. We invited all current Council members to share their thoughts on the first three years of this term. In the coming weeks, we’ll share their insights and priorities as we look toward the next election.  

Next up in this series is Councillor Ryan Parker, who was first elected to Council in 1998 and successfully won a seat on Council in each subsequent election since then. 

What are you most proud of in the first three years of this Council term?  

Councillor Parker has long been an advocate for community recreation spaces, so it comes as no surprise he’s proud of the progress of Legacy Park and community spaces. 

“I’m excited to see the park mature and grow as we add more opportunities for residents to get out and enjoy our beautiful city,” says Parker. “We’ve got the pickleball courts and the multi-use outdoor sports court available to the community now, so there are lots of places for residents to have fun and be active outdoors.” 

Highlighting the number of events and activities available throughout the year thanks to major event granting was also high on Councillor Parker’s list of positives this term. 

“I like the way our community has become a place of culture and festivals and celebrating a wide range of events,” says Parker. “Everything from Street Wheelers to the Dragon Boat Festival to Shakespeare in the Park. Festival Square has been so busy with activities and opportunities for the community to come together. It’s great to see so many people from all over the city and the region coming here to celebrate their event or holiday.” 

What do you want to see accomplished in the last year of this Council term?  

Parker says continuing to listen to the community and building upon the relationships to advance the needs of Lethbridge are key issues Council will always need to prioritize. 

“We want to continue to build confidence in the community,” says Parker. “We’re not the only city seeing people experiencing homelessness and it’s an ongoing concern but it’s also an ongoing responsibility that all levels of government are trying to address.”  

“We’re seeing some wins though. There’s more housing coming online, like the new Aboriginal Housing Society location on the north side, the Edwards affordable housing project near the hospital for people over 55. But we know there’s more to do so I’d like to see us keep working on that.”   

What advice would you give to anyone thinking of running in next year’s election?  

After more than 20 years as a Councillor, Parker says listening to all the facts, being respectful and keeping an open mind are key skills to the work of an elected official. 

“Listen to the experts, trust the staff who do this work, day in and day out,” says Parker. “They were here before you got here and they will be here after you’re gone. Listen to their advice and their knowledge.” 

“You want to bring some solid values to the table and be respectful of the process and your colleagues,” says Parker. “At the end of the day, we’re all trying to make this city better than it was when we got here.” 

Subscribe to news from the City to follow this series and hear from the other members of Council. Head to lethbridge.ca/subscribe to get all City news and information, straight to your inbox.  

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