City Notebook: A pause that refreshes

By Collin Gallant on April 5, 2025.

This week’s mass internet outage in southern Alberta was a hinderance to putting out a newspaper, but a godsend for mental health.

It allowed a number of Hatters with Rogers service to avoid four to five hours of unceasing, recycled discussion, conjecture and speculation about the April 2 tariff announcement from the U.S. Capitol.

Sure we were frazzled getting the paper out our door to your door, but did in the end. We may never know what was gained or missed by being blissfully away from minute-by-minute rundown of Donald Trump’s fourth tariff announcement in as many months. But we got up to relative speed quickly and probably have a better understanding in the end.

Perhaps there’s a lesson in it.

Canadians are now engaged in one of the most consequential federal elections of our lifetime. Our business leaders, entrepreneurs, workers and consumers are charged with remaking an economy that can withstand whatever comes along, not just this or that on any given day.

Do we really have time to spend all day obsessing with distractions?

Spring: sprung?

There was an inkling of spring in late-week sunshine, but the week ahead looks brighter, and for once it seems we’ll skip questions about whether yard waste collection is late getting started.

The service to take away leaves and branches fires up again Monday, but hold the food waste for the moment. That effort by the city’s solid waste department is in a holding pattern after a pilot last year and council’s calls for a review of composting facility budget.

Other telltale signals of spring include playoff hockey and:

– Medalta’s second annual Bees and Blossoms spring market got underway Friday and is set to conclude after running from 10 a.m. to 4 p.m. on Saturday;

-Registration is now open for the 46th annual Rattler Run 3-, 5- and 10-km run, and walk will take place April 26;

– The same weekend, the Broncs and Tonks Indoor Spring Rodeo is a go at the Medicine Hat Stampede’s Cypress Centre.

– The remake of Hill Pool got a mention in committee meetings this week, including the addition of solar panels on a badly needed new sun shade thanks to a $7,400 grant. It’s still a construction site at this point but councillors appeared pleased at progress. And, hey, so far, it’s got a nice lookin’ new fence – certainly nicer than the previous chain link topped with barbed wire. Hatters probably aren’t put off by barbed wire, but drive by for yourself and consider whether the extra expense of wrought iron is worth it.

Referendum

National commentators are picking up on coverage in the News last week about a group with local ties pushing for an independence referendum in the province.

That includes doubtful commentary from Alberta-based Jen Gerson of the line.ca. It commissioned a poll showing 17 to 20 per cent support of the Prairies for discussing a switch to the U.S. That’s not insignificant, writes Gerson, adding, “Predicting anything in Alberta is nigh on impossible … But right now? Today?”

A look ahead

Council sits Monday with a number of controversial issues on the agenda, including notices of motion to publish top administrators’ expenses, provide an overview of severance agreements and human resources data. As well, Mayor Linnsie Clark will formally request she be reimbursed $76,000 in legal fees incurred during several actions between herself and the city.

It gets underway at 6:30 p.m.

100 years ago

The public health inspector in Medicine Hat reiterated that quarantine orders levelled on households would be strictly enforced, the News reported in early April 1925.

“Medicine Hat is relatively free from infectious disease,” the office notes, but it would “take steps to prosecute those who spread disease unnecessarily by themselves or allowing their children to mingle with the general public.”

The United Farmers government in Edmonton would allow cities to offer fixed tax assessments for up to 20 years in order to attract new industrial sites.

A bill passed the Tennessee Legislature outlawing the teaching of Theory of Evolution in the state. A bill to abolish Daylight Saving Time was introduced in Ottawa.

The Ontario Ladies Hockey playoff games was declared a 1-1 draw after rough play between the Toronto Varsity and Ottawa Alert teams. “Most could play real hockey,” the Toronto Star reported, “but several times in the excitement of checking each other, they forgot all things about hockey.”

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