City Notebook: Location, location, location makes way for Go Tigers Go!

By Collin Gallant on May 31, 2025.

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Co-op Place never fully gained the mantle of “white elephant” among Hatters who are happy to hang horns on any major civic project that’s not to their satisfaction.

But after this hockey season, it likely never will.

Location, cost, nothing good to watch, took too long, rammed through – common complaints that kept the Box Springs rink from having that homey feeling.

Add a winning hockey team and suddenly a parking situation that’s objectively on par with the old Arena’s lots suddenly seems more manageable.

The Events Centre/Canalta Centre/Co-op Place certainly didn’t have the same vibes as the old barn until recently.

But, now the cheer and response from Hatters is, “Whose house? Our House!”

On Ash Avenue, 3,950 season ticket holders sat in the 4,006 seats, and made a lot of noise as early 2000s teams chewed up the opposition.

In 2025, fans are all too eager to go bananas

The same couldn’t be said when the 6,000-seat “events centre” was being proposed, planned or built between 2005 and 2015, or in those first few years when mixed results on the ice were matched by middling crowds.

Those days are likely fading from memory now, replaced by the current playoff run in Medicine Hat’s consciousness.

It’s been a romper of a year for the Tigers, no doubt. Fun hockey, dynamic team and, strangely, fewer complaints that the rock music is too loud.

And the city will make the no-brainer decision to open up the building for a watch party on Sunday as the Tigers vie for the Memorial Cup live on TSN from Rimouski, Que.

That event is an easy win, but still one that many would have thought beyond city hall. Even if staging the free event is a financial loss, what’s it worth in advertising (TSN likely to cut away to the local celebrations)?

Financially, administrators would be smart to release a mid-year report on what extra playoff rounds mean to the facility’s budget.

Recall, too, that the accounting will also be somewhat brighter still next year as the original $10-million debt on the now 10-year-old facility is soon to be retired.

While we’re at it…

What’s our opinion of Brent and Darrell Maser?

The brother owners of the Tigers have never been about the personal spotlight, but now have a third league title under their tenure.

That’s despite a decades-long running rumour along the top row of stands that the team would (or should) be sold to various former players who could re-establish the glory days of the franchise.

While that’s been going on, the brothers have been in charge of the Tigers now for 35 years – a full 15 years longer than their father, George, who passed away in 1990.

You’d think that would (and should) allow them to operate without any burdens or shadows of the past.

On the calendar

Despite welcomed rain on the way, it suddenly it feels like summer:

– The Spectrum Festival kicked off Friday and runs through Sunday at Kin Coulee Park;

– The Alberta “FireFit” Championship meet concludes on Saturday at the Stampede Grounds;

– The Medicine Hat Mavericks had two great crowds to start their season this week at Athletic Park (don’t forget about them as hockey season lingers longer than usual);

– The WPCA chuckwagon tour visits the Stampede grounds from June 12-15 , the same timeframe as the daytime Cypress Farm and Ranch show;

– The 41st annual YMCA River Run takes place June 14 (one day before Father’s Day);

– JazzFest is set for the week of June 17-22.

A look ahead

The Memorial Cup final game will be played at 5 p.m. MST in Rimouski, Que., and broadcast on TSN. Council will meet Monday to discuss a formal grant proposal for women’s shelter expansion, and approve local changes to adhere to local election rules amended by the province.

100 years ago

Nearly one in eight Medicine Hat school pupils suffered from goitres, a health survey ordered by school boards found, according to the News in late May 1925. It was recommended that new research suggesting iodine as a prevention measure should be encouraged by parents.

William Brothers, age 104, died at the Ontario Prison farm where he “found refuge … through a nominal condition as a vagrant,” and was likely the oldest serving prisoner in the British Empire.

Peter de Paola, 27, won the Indianapolis 500 mile race and $37,000 in prizes by completing the race in three minutes and 20 seconds shy of five hours.

A plot to kidnap and ransom film star Mary Pickford was broken up by authorities in Hollywood.

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.