City Notebook: From sourpuss to hopeful, a personal plan for 2025

By Collin Gallant on December 28, 2024.

A while back I changed my all-important social media moniker from “aspiring curmudgeon” to “aspiring optimist” – sort of a New Year’s resolution – not to sing “stay on the sunnyside” but to help bust out of a funk of a blah and bad news cycle that frankly becomes self-perpetuating.

Needless to say it was a challenging year, and especially in Medicine Hat, where it could be argued the year that was, actually was a year that wasn’t.

Medicine Hat lost its bid to host the 2026 Memorial Cup after the much-wanted, long-awaited announcement to go for it came in the summer.

The slam-dunk idea was slam dunked when the tournament went to Kelowna.

Expected drought brought in voluntary water restrictions, but typical rainfall and a variety of factors helped us dodge a sixth year of drought out of eight in southeast Alberta.

On a more controversial note, ask anybody on the street and they’ll tell you city council was supposed to collapse (whatever that actually means) under the weight of infighting and legal challenges. Yet, it didn’t, and likely won’t before next fall’s election.

A provincial government moratorium on green energy approvals was supposed to either shut down the industry or provide certainty for projects to move ahead … yet delivered neither.

It’ll be some time before we have a promised way forward for the city’s power plant, delays and more strife are certain on the questions of forming a board or building a huge solar farm.

An affordability crisis. A homeless crisis. Yeesh.

A curmudgeon would recommend closing up shop.

An optimist realizes that’s impossible, that throwing in the towel is the worst course of action. But maybe some realistic, although difficult work is required.

City utility planners will undertake a water strategy in 2025 … which is a bigger economic growth determinant than people realize.

The lights will stay on in Medicine Hat, no matter what, but who and how (and how much) is largely up to work and planning done now, wouldn’t you agree?

Likewise, if Medicine Hat was really on the ball, it would already be setting up the angles to host a World Juniors Tournament warm-up game (or training camp?) during the 2027 tournament when it’s hosted by Calgary and Edmonton.

Story of the Year

It’s that time of year again, keyboards tinkle with stories chronicling the past 12 months.

What and who (whom?) will be the top news story and newsmakers in Medicine Hat for 2024?

Readers will find out soon, but here are some personal favourites.

Joy, sadness and wonder: Three look-back articles on a range of human emotions were anniversaries of the 2004 WHL title-winning Tigers, the 1984 Riverside rail disaster, and the 1964’s Operation Snowball (500-ton detonation of TNT at the defence research station).

The tall and the small: Local firm, Atlantis Research labs tested high-altitude rocket systems at CFB Suffield. As well, a golden-mantled squirrel was photographed on the Southeast Hill this summer, throwing doubt on the Hat’s squirrel-free status.

A look ahead

City council returns Jan. 6. The U.S. inauguration is Jan. 20. The Canadian House of Commons resumes sitting Jan. 22. The Alberta legislature’s winter session isn’t set yet, apparently, but last year it convened Feb. 28.

100 years ago

More than 1,500 attendees took in the opening of the new community ice rink for a skating carnival, the News reported in late 1924. The first city league hockey game featured the Washington Ave. Washers v. the Barber Poles, plus an hour of free skating for spectators who paid the “two-bits” admission price.

B.C. joined a western bloc of support to reduce the Senate’s power to affect legislation after reductions in railway construction rankled the prairie premiers.

A high school reunion was planned for Dec. 29 at Alexandra High School for all classes and all alumni. The association of former grad had become “famous for the pleasant times” of previous events, the News noted.

The “Story of the Maple Creek Rustlers” was reprinted in the News detailing the exploits of six individuals from that locale that had plied a trade of horse and cattle theft for more than a decade. The five men and one woman were arrested and convicted the prior month.

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