Medicine Hat Minute: Temporary Shelter, North Railway, and Happy Canada Day

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

This Week In Medicine Hat:

• The week begins with a meeting of the Public Services Committee today at 8:00 am. The Committee will discuss adopting recommendations from the Truth and Reconciliation Recommendations ad hoc Committee. Among these recommendations are mandatory Indigenous-developed and delivered education for City Council and City staff, and mandatory anti-racism training, among several others. There probably won't be any economics training for Council though, right? The Committee will also discuss an outdoor smoking and vaping bylaw and will consider designating the Cenotaph a Municipal Historic Resource.
  
  
• On Tuesday, there will be a Council Employee Committee meeting at 1:30 pm. The Committee will discuss two new positions in the Mayor's office and receive updates on the 2022 Employee Engagement Survey and the City Manager Performance Evaluation Framework.
  
  
• A full day of fun is planned for Canada Day at the Medicine Hat Exhibition and Stampede Grounds. Local bands, a display of fire and police vehicles, and fireworks are among the activities. In addition, some of Canada’s top skateboarders will be in the city to compete in the Beat the Heat skateboard competition at Kinsmen Skate Plaza.

Last Week In Medicine Hat:

• Indigenous People’s Day celebrations were a huge success. Crowds gathered at the Saamis Employment and Training Association’s annual Teepee Village and PowWow after a two-year pandemic hiatus. Organizers were very pleased with this year's turnout, saying it was one of the best in the event’s 15 year history.
  
  
• The Municipal Planning Commission voted unanimously to pause issuing a change of use permit that would have allowed the Mustard Seed to operate a temporary overnight shelter at 435 North Railway Street. The Commission wanted to allow more time for consultation with residents and business owners near the proposed location. The Mustard Seed currently runs an overnight shelter on Eighth Street SE, but needs a new location as the building where it is located is up for sale.
  
  
• Speaking of North Railway Street, architectural students from the University of Calgary presented reimagined designs for the area to City Council. Proposals for the area included elevated walkways, new loops of the trail system, and a festival space. The designs were for purely academic purposes, so hopefully, the City doesn’t get too many ideas without first considering the potential costs!

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