Medicine Hat Minute: Tree Recycling, Renewables Projects, and Happy New Year

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

This Week In Medicine Hat:

• There are no Council or Committee meetings this week. Regularly scheduled meetings will resume on January 6th.
  
  
• Tuesday is New Year’s Eve! The Big Marble Go Centre is hosting a free event, featuring a variety of family-friendly activities from 1:00 pm to 4:00 pm. Guests can enjoy swimming at Kinsmen Aquatic Park, fitness classes, and free drop-in activities like skating, ice painting, and Tot Time for young children. Other options include an inflatable adventure zone, floor hockey, and yard games in various gym spaces. The full schedule, and tickets for some of the events that require them, are available online.
  
  
• As we ring in the New Year, we’re reflecting on the work we’ve accomplished and the challenges ahead. To kick off 2025 strong, we’ve set a goal to raise $5,000 by midnight on December 31st. This crucial fundraiser will ensure we can continue our mission in the coming year. If you’ve valued our efforts and want to see us achieve even more, please consider making a donation today. Every contribution, big or small, makes a difference, and we’re incredibly thankful for your support. Click here to donate and help us start the year on the right foot. Thank you and Happy New Year!

Last Week In Medicine Hat:

• The search for a new central location for The Mustard Seed is still underway, said local MLA Justin Wright’s office. The Mustard Seed, along with the City of Medicine Hat, Medicine Hat Community Housing Society, and the Alberta government, are working together on finding a new, permanent shelter location that meets community needs and addresses neighbourhood concerns. The Municipal Planning Commission is set to review The Mustard Seed’s request for a temporary expansion permit on January 15th. Wright has been appointed to co-lead a panel on Alberta’s response to homelessness.
  
  
• The City reminded people about recycling options for Christmas trees and holiday waste. Residents can drop off their trees at the Northlands Co-op Recycling Depot, Kipling Street, or the Medicine Hat Mall parking lot until January 30th. To participate, trees must be stripped of decorations like plastic bags, stands, lights, and tinsel. Gift wrapping can be recycled if it has the appropriate symbol and is without tape or ribbons. Artificial trees cannot be recycled but can be discarded in the garbage or donated.
  
  
• It was announced that four major renewable energy projects in southeast Alberta, including three near Medicine Hat, will receive over $20 million each in federal funding. These projects include the Big Sky Solar in Acadia Valley, the Wild Rose Wind farm south of Medicine Hat, and the AECG Forty Mile wind farm near Bow Island, each set to receive $25 million. The funding is part of a broader $152 million investment in renewable energy projects across Alberta, as part of the Smart Renewables and Electrification Pathways Program. These projects aim to support wind and solar energy development in the region.

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