Neat to Know: September 4, 2025 | City of Medicine Hat

September 04, 2025

City News

Your weekly roundup of City news, updates, and other important information.

Congratulations to Community Spirit Award winners

Ten Medicine Hat residents will be recognized for their outstanding contributions to the community on October 8, 2025. The City of Medicine Hat’s 2025 Community Spirit Award recipients are as follows:

Awards of Excellence

Heart of Medicine Hat: LaVerne Noble
Change Maker: Medicine Hat Skateboard Association

Awards of Service

Arts/Culture: Bev Duke
Community Inclusion:

Davie James
Dan Hager, Julie Lacasse (Cycling Without Age)

Compassion:

Shae Fedorak
Paul Carolan

Environment: Marilyn Kusler
Sports/Recreation: Glen Mori

Community Spirit Awards are presented every two years to individuals and groups whom the community believes enhance the quality of life in Medicine Hat through their dedication, activities, and accomplishments in several areas.

View the City’s Community Spirit Awards webpage to learn more.

Refreshed look for medicinehat.ca!

Starting September 8, visitors to www.medicinehat.ca will notice a fresh new look as we launch our updated website.

The refresh comes as we move to a new content management system (our current one is retiring in 2025). While the site design will feel more modern and offer some new features, you won’t notice big changes to how the information is structured.

We’ve also heard your feedback loud and clear: the search function isn’t your best friend! Once the move to the new system is complete, our team will be working throughout the fall to improve search results so you can find what you need more easily.

Check it out on September 8! 🌟

Watch for City workers on roadways

As part of our commitment to maintaining a safe, clean, and vibrant community, City of Medicine Hat crews are actively working across our roadways performing essential tasks such as:

Road repairs and maintenance
Vegetation management
Street cleaning and infrastructure inspections
Seasonal operations and upgrades

These activities are vital to keeping our city running smoothly, but they also require your attention and cooperation to ensure the safety of both workers and residents.

What residents should be aware of:

Reduced speed zones – Obey posted speed limits in work areas
Traffic control devices – Watch for cones, signs, flaggers, and barricades
Unexpected stops or lane changes – Be prepared for sudden changes in traffic flow
Workers near the curb or in medians – Stay alert and give them space

How residents can help prevent incidents:

Slow down when approaching work zones.
Be Patient. Slow moving equipment will move over to allow residents to pass when/if it is safe to do so.
It's only safe to pass mobile equipment if the operator has the 4-way flashers engaged.
Increase following distance as equipment can have increased blind spots and some equipment can kick up flying debris.

Avoid distractions like texting or using your phone while driving.
Follow all signage and directions from flaggers or traffic control personnel.
Report unsafe conditions to the City if you notice hazards near work zones.

Your awareness and cooperation make a big difference. We appreciate your help as we work together to keep our staff safe while they work hard to serve our community.

Thank you for helping us build a safer Medicine Hat!

Free compost day

Our third-and-final free compost day of 2025 is just over one week away!

The free compost finale is set for Saturday, September 13. Bring a shovel and container, and come load up (limit of 10 gallons per household).

Time: 10 a.m. to 3 p.m.
Location: 1453 Hutchinson Avenue SE
Get directions: Google maps location

We gave away a combined 29,000 kilograms of SureGrow compost at our first two events in the spring!

Our SureGrow multi-purpose compost is an all-natural soil amendment produced by the City from materials in our annual organics collection program.

Check out medicinehat.ca/suregrow for more information.

Energy Innovation Challenge awards three new innovators in second intake

The City of Medicine Hat and Decentralised Energy Canada announce three award recipients in the second intake of the Energy Innovation Challenge: TAKEnergy Inc., Aqua-Cell Energy, and Eguana Technologies.

These projects will:
➡️ Capture wasted energy from gas pressure reduction and convert it into carbon-free electricity (TAKEnergy)
➡️ Deploy modular saltwater flow batteries for renewable energy storage and grid reliability (Aqua-Cell)
➡️ Install battery systems and a Distributed Energy Resource Management System (DERMS) to enable voltage management, and grid resiliency (Eguana)

Together, they join Arcus Power Corp and Edgecom Energy in shaping a more sustainable, reliable, and affordable energy future.

Read the announcement

September 2 City Council meeting

At Tuesday’s City Council meeting, Council requested analysis on a regional approach to food and organics waste, approved a motion to postpone the Medicine Hat Exhibition and Stampede funding request (at the request of MHE&S) pending further discussion with the Medicine Hat Exhibition and Stampede Board, and postponed the Transportation Master Plan and supporting strategies for consideration in early 2026.

Council also approved both the recipients of the biennial Community Spirit Awards (see above) and appointments to the Community Vibrancy Advisory Board and Subdivision and Development Appeal Board.

An additional City Council meeting has been scheduled for 4 p.m. on Monday, September 29, 2025.

Read the highlights Watch the meeting

Parking lot construction underway at Athletic Park

Construction has begun to replace the deteriorating parking lot at Athletic Park.

The structural and surface repairs will address recurring potholes and cracking caused by settlement over time, leaving an updated lot that meets current standards, improves accessibility, and adds to the existing aesthetic enhancements in the area.

Construction was scheduled for September to reduce impact on facility programming and is expected to conclude in early October.

See construction map

Athletic Park will remain open during construction and programming is unaffected.

Patrons can park on the northwest side and enter the facility from the west service gate and the patio/deck entry gate (gates 3 and 5 as shown on the map). The east service gate (gate 6) will also be accessible to facility staff throughout construction.

Thank you for your patience and understanding as we complete these necessary improvements.

Chamber hosts election forums

Learn more about the candidates running for office.

The Southeast Alberta Chamber of Commerce is hosting two candidate forums where you can learn about each candidate’s vision and priorities:

September 24 - Council Candidates
September 26 - Mayoral Candidates

Residents are welcome to attend and may submit questions on the link below:

Submit a question

Both sessions are at the Esplanade Arts and Heritage Centre. For times and details, visit:
Vote Prosperity 2025 | Southeast Alberta Chamber of Commerce

Facilities for the Future survey opens September 12

On August 18, 2025, City Council approved moving forward with public engagement to assess community sentiment towards a phased approach developing a South Side Recreation Centre and Brier Run Sports Field. No decisions have been made, and we will be seeking community input on the proposed plan between September 12 – 21, 2025.

Watch for the page to go live: shapeyourcity.medicinehat.ca/facilities-for-the-future.

You can find the August 18, 2025, Council meeting here.

Blanket Exercise: Lead by Brenda Mercer

Thursday, September 18, 6-8 PM, Esplanade

Are you ready to take a step forward on our collective reconcili-action journey?

Join Brenda Mercer as she guides you through the Kairos Blanket Exercise. This meaningful learning experience explores the nation-to-nation relationship between Indigenous and non-Indigenous peoples in Canada.

The Kairos Blanket exercise is an important tool in the journey for Truth and Reconciliation.
Aspects of the difficult history recounted throughout the exercise may trigger strong emotions in participants.

It is free to attend but seats are limited. Get your ticket on tixx.ca to secure your spot.

New TREX Exhibition: ReconciliACTIONS

Opening Saturday September 6 at Noon at the Esplanade.
Galleries are always PAY WHAT YOU WILL/

The exhibition ReconciliACTIONS brings together work by 21 indigenous artists. It is meant to remind us that reconciliation is an ongoing process, a chain of care and repair, not a one-and-done event. Decolonizing our relationships with one another and drawing new pathways of understanding based on mutual respect is empowering for all of us. Indigenous, settler, immigrant, and refugee alike all play an integral role in enacting reconciliation.

Visit esplanade.ca for more details.

How long does it take to replace 24 kilometres of electricity transmission line?

In the case of Medicine Hat’s East Ring Enhancement Project, the answer is two years!

We received approval from the Alberta Utilities Commission last week to proceed with a project to replace 40-year-old transmission line that extends from Brier Park, through northwest and northeast Crescent Heights, Ranchlands and Parkview, to Veinerville and south through Cypress County, before wrapping back into the City through Southlands.

With construction beginning in early 2027 and completion planned in 2029, Medicine Hat will be well-positioned to support projected growth in commercial and residential electricity use in the next decades.

Election Counting Assistant

Every vote counts in Medicine Hat’s upcoming Municipal Election – but they can’t count themselves!

Become a Counting Assistant and help count ballots on election night, October 20 from 7:30 p.m. to 2 a.m. or at the Counting Centre during the days after the election from October 21st to 24th.

Counting Assistants earn $240 dollars on election night, and $200 dollars per day on the days following! If that’s worth your while, count yourself in and apply now at

medicinehat.ca/jobs

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