City Notebook: CCDA breathing new life as vote to kill it looms

By Medicine Hat News Opinion on May 8, 2021.

cgallant@medicinehatnews.com@CollinGallant

The fate of the CCDA goes to the ballot box next week, with voting by the members of the downtown business association on whether to dissolve the near-40-year-old group that seems to have some momentous internal struggle at least twice a year.

But even a ‘no’ vote this week likely won’t mean the book would be closed on the City Centre Development Agency, which would still have to dispose of the Monarch Theatre.

That enterprise, which has been central to many of the squabbles over the years, stands as the most substantial, and really only, real property owned by the group.

As such it would have to be disposed of in a sale or otherwise agreement to settle any liabilities.

The key liability in this case is a remaining balance of $40,000 on the original $200,000 loan provided by the city for its purchase.

City hall officials confirm it still holds an actual financial interest in the theatre, and hasn’t officially cancelled the loan. That was called for in a brokered deal this winter when councillors approved the CCDA’s budget.

Notably that theatre also plays a part in the city’s new Waterfront development strategy to get some zing back in the city centre. Yet, it’s clear on any number of fronts the city doesn’t want to operate it going forward, and can’t help itself from exploring partnerships with private or not-for-profit groups to take over non-core services of the municipality.

One might be the Friends of the Monarch Society, the notable members of which led the charge on dissolving the CCDA.

Maybe that’s just speculation.

And maybe it’s the pandemic, but there hasn’t been much public politicking about the referendum.

When an upset group of stakeholders reached enough support to trigger a vote earlier this year, it seemed as if the vote was a done deal.

On Friday however, the CCDA announced it has hired Trish Richards as its new operations manager.

“With the upcoming vote to keep the CCDA an active part of downtown, Trish joins the organization at a crucial time and will be working to shape a new future with the help of downtown stakeholders,” reads a release.

Advanced voting for those business owners who pay the CCDA levy takes place on Tuesday morning at city hall. The general vote will be held from noon to 8 p.m. Thursday.

Delay

Services for Wayne Craven that were originally scheduled to take place online on Saturday have been postponed until the entire family of the former alderman, businessman and champion of the arts in this community can gather in person.

Craven was remembered with a moment of silence at city council chambers on Monday, with longest serving colleague Coun. Julie Friesen providing a tribute to her friend.

Rumours

The Assiniboia Hotel changed ownership at the end of last month, according to the guys hauling furniture and fixtures out of the hotel on Third Street and S. Railway Street.

No further details were made available, even to the most intrepid of reporters, but there’s been notable speculation for some time about redevelopment plans being in the works.

A look ahead

After council agreed with planning officials this week that a lot on the Southeast Hill was too small for a new four-plex or small apartment, the city’s municipal planning commission will be asked on Wednesday to OK a four-plex on a much smaller lot.

100 years ago

A drawing of the Cenotaph planned for Medicine Hat was published in the News along with the daily tabulation and names of subscribers for the effort, this week in 1921.

Other news centred on economic outlook in the region, including speculation the oil formation that had drawn 500 companies to Montana extended into southeast Alberta.

In an unrelated item, Justice Emily Murphy, a visitor to town, marvelled that Medicine Hat’s industrial prospects were unrivalled in the north county.

A team shovel weighing 33 tons also arrived to be in put into service providing a water trough to the Canada Land and Irrigation Company’s holdings near Vauxhall.

Elsewhere, a fire raged through the entire settlement of Eagle Butte southeast of Medicine Hat. Destroyed buildings included barns, a variety of bunkhouses, the agricultural building and the blacksmith’s.

Keeping with a wartime practice, the Medicine Hat Horticultural Society published a list of vacant lots in the city that could be used for gardens in the approaching season.

City council was accepting “all proposals” to complete a swimming pool in the city.

Collin Gallant covers city politics and a variety of topics for the News. Reach him at 403-528-5664 or via email at cgallant@medicinehatnews.com