Medicine Hat Minute: Block Parties, Beach Access, and Replacing Aging Infrastructure

Medicine Hat Minute - Your weekly one-minute summary of Medicine Hat politics

This Week In Medicine Hat:

• There will be a meeting of City Council this afternoon at 3:45 pm. As usual, the meeting begins with a closed session. During this session, Council will receive two verbal updates, one regarding People Services and the other regarding the Flags and Proclamations Policy. A Notice of Motion discussion will also take place prior to the meeting opening up to the public at 6:00 pm. During the public session, there are several items on the agenda, including a National Indigenous Peoples Day Presentation and a follow-up report on the Council Code of Conduct Bylaw.
  
  
• The Audit Committee will meet on Tuesday at 2:00 pm. The Committee will discuss the Tri-Annual Management Report for the period ending April 30th, 2024. Near the end of the meeting, the Committee will head into a closed session to discuss the 2023 Fuel Card Audit. To end the week, the Energy, Land and Environment Committee will meet on Thursday at 4:00 pm. No agenda is available for this meeting yet.
  
  
• This summer, the City will host themed block parties at Towne Square nearly every Saturday until Labour Day. Themes will be celebrations of Nature, Indigeneity, Childhood, Art, Sport, Dance, Car Culture, Heritage, Music, First Responders, and Youth. Each event will feature food trucks, bouncy castles, and live music. The second block party, Celebrating Indigeneity, will take place on June 22nd from noon to 4:00 pm.

Last Week In Medicine Hat:

• Survey results revealed that a majority of Medicine Hat residents support separating food waste from general refuse, provided it is cost-effective, environmentally beneficial, and convenient. Conducted after a pilot project involving 4,000 households, the survey found that 64% of respondents were "very likely" and 12% were "somewhat likely" to participate if the program were to be expanded citywide. The pilot provided under-counter bins for food scraps, which were emptied into green yard waste carts and composted at the landfill. Benefits noted by Hatters include diverting organic waste, producing compost, and raising environmental awareness. The pilot will continue through December, with further community engagement planned.
  
  
• The City of Medicine Hat installed a mobi-mat at Echo Dale Regional Park, enhancing beach access for those with mobility issues. Local residents praised the mat for allowing easier access to the water's edge. A City official highlighted the ongoing commitment to improving accessibility across all facilities. The mobi-mat will be available during lifeguarded hours, making it easier for people with strollers, wheelchairs, and walkers to reach the beach.
  
  
• The recent water main catastrophe in Calgary has prompted Medicine Hat engineers and emergency response teams to accelerate their efforts to replace aging infrastructure. Medicine Hat has been working on this for about a decade, focusing on the oldest and most deteriorated pipes. The City’s Emergency Management Division is revising their risk assessments and plans to include scenarios like the one in Calgary. Residents are advised to prepare a 72-hour emergency kit as a precaution against potential water or power outages. More information on emergency preparedness and the City's response plan is available on the City's website.

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