City Notebook: Getting answers to long asked questions

By COLLIN GALLANT on March 26, 2022.

cgallant@medicinehatnews.com@CollinGallant

Studies can typically be filed under things people hate, but politicians can’t stop ordering.

Still, this week should provide some light into long-standing requests from citizens about the financial picture of the Medicine Hat Event Centre/Canalta Centre/Co-op Place… you know, the big rink in the northwest.

Through three name changes – and can it be seven years already – folks have wondered about profits and losses and assumed the worst.

Monday’s meeting of council’s public services committee will hear a year-by-year breakdown at the facility which was taken over by the city in late 2020. That came just ahead of two odd-ball operating years caused by pandemic restrictions after five years of private operations and an impenetrable shroud of confidential information.

Council members will also hear about future plans to cut losses and operate the big rink in tandem with the Esplanade performance hall.

HALO

The province has doubled its funding for STARS air ambulance, it announced on Friday, while signalling more money could be on the way for regional air ambulance services around Medicine Hat and Fort McMurray.

“I can confirm that we are in talks with both HALO and HERO, and will have more to say soon,” said Health Minister Jason Copping, while Premier Jason Kenney alluded to “days ahead” for an announcement.

Money for STARS, which covers most of Alberta with rescue transport service, moves from $8 million to $15 million, but also as the southeast regional HALO has argued for years a need for stable base funding to remain operational.

That also comes after several years of bandying about a study into emergency helicopter capacity, known as the HEMS report.

The most recent funding plan floated by HALO, in 2021, was for the organization to fundraise about one-third its annual $3-million budget, then have regional municipalities and the province pick up equal parts of the remainder.

Comings, goings

The Community Foundation of Southeast Alberta has a permanent executive director after the announcement that Niki Gray drops “acting” from her job title.

There’s some question about an advertised search for a new head of the local Canadian Mental Health Association.

The CMHA is planning to put on its annual Snowflake Soiree in mid May (a result of COVID-related delay, but please, hold the snowflakes).

Speaking of events delayed by waves of the pandemic, the Town of Vauxhall’s centennial celebration is now set for this summer, two years after the fact.

But still, a pancake breakfast, parade, ball game, concert, supper, demolition derby and fireworks are planned for the two-day event that begins on Canada Day.

Sticking with boards

Members of South Country Co-op completed virtual voting for new board candidates this week, the results of which will be unveiled at the Co-op’s virtual AGM set for Monday night. (That’s a prelude to dividend cheques going out, by the way.)

The southern Alberta portion of the Equs series of regional AGMs is set to take place Tuesday night in Lethbridge, and the St. Mary’s River Irrigation District has its AGM on March 30 in Taber. (Stay tuned to hear about major construction plans from the irrigator near Medicine Hat this year).

And wouldn’t you know it, the very minute, it seems, this column relayed info that the Silver Sage Ag Society in Brooks is taking command of the June rodeo in that city, word comes of intrigue on that board. The Brooks Bulletin describes trouble on the board and resignations which led to the province taking over operations.

A new board meeting and potential elections are set for the coming week, but the quote of the year in community board reporting comes from Alberta Association of Ag. Societies CEO Tim Carson.

“We find often times that people will stay away for fear of being elected,” he told Bulletin scribe Sandra Stanway this week.

Can anyone else on a local board relate?

A look ahead

The city’s public service committee will also hear about the process to find a tenant/operator for the Monarch Theatre. Since spring is springing, perhaps we’ll hear about ribbon cutting at the city’s new power plant or the Towne Square project?

Also, we won’t blow it by talking too much about what’s happening next Friday, but let’s all try to be extra clever this year and considerate that exactly nobody has been in the mood for practical jokes for at least two years.

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