The first colour lighting of the Tepee with the new LED lighting on August 28, 2020. - SUBMITTED PHOTO
There have been many changes over the past couple of years and this has me thinking about how things used to be when I started at the Esplanade.
I remember in the fall, the day the new season lineup launched for theatre shows, patrons started lining up at 8 a.m., waiting for the box office to open at 10. It was the best way to get your pick of the seats. Phoning worked too but people were often on hold for a long time awaiting their turn. These days, in-person and telephone purchasing is still available, but most people buy their tickets and register for classes online at TIXX.ca.
In 2020 we launched the Lighting for a Cause program at the Saamis Tepee. This began with the installation of 22 color changing LED fixtures to light the base and 10 white LED fixtures to light the story boards. Prior to that, coloured lighting of the tepee required special equipment and staff to manually cover conventional fixtures with a coloured gel. The cost was high and it was seldom done. Now a technician can remotely preset the date and time for a large range of specifically chosen colours. Not-for-profit organizations can find the guidelines and application on the Bookings and Rentals page of the city website.
As of this year, Towne Square is no longer an empty lot but is now a vibrant event and market space with digital parking. The HotSpot app offers the convenience of paying for parking plus notification before your time expires and the option to extend your parking time to avoid a ticket. Day use of the market pods can be booked by filling out the online application form at medicinehat.ca.
Coming soon for Lighting for a Cause and Towne Square pod rentals, patrons will have the option to pay online at the time of booking. This will simplify the process for the customer and reduce the staff time required. Invoicing and payment by cash or cheque will still be available for anyone unable to use the online method. For City of Medicine Hat invoices, PaySimply is an online bill payment service that makes payment easy. The new PaySimply method is great news for Esplanade weddings and other rental events at the Esplanade, Co-op Place or any other City of Medicine Hat facility that receive an invoice.
While it may seem like we kept scrambling to keep up with everything new, it is easy to forget that at one time, the Esplanade didn’t even sell tickets online!
Sandi Reimer is Event Services Coordinator at the Esplanade
