By Collin Gallant on July 26, 2018.
Medicine Hat News The 101st annual Stampede Parade will wind its way through the downtown core this morning, including the head of at least one provincial political party, but not Premier Rachel Notley. The office of Alberta Party Leader Stephen Mandel announced Wednesday he will visit the city and take part in the parade. Notley made a number of appearances in Medicine Hat Wednesday, including a stint helping Kiwanis Club members flip pancakes at the annual Medicine Hat Lodge breakfast. However, Notley, who is an experienced horseman and rode during the recent Calgary Stampede, has appearances booked in Lethbridge today. The Medicine Hat parade will begin at 9 a.m. with other dignataries led by honourary marshals Brian Stauth and Kelly Meyer, the fire chiefs of Medicine Hat and Cypress County services. Finlay Bridge, the Maple Avenue Bridge, and Maple Avenue from First Street to Third Street SE will be closed beginning at 8:30 a.m. for the duration of the parade, the city announced. To accommodate parade staging there is now on-street parking on the 800 and 900 blocks of Second Street (near the Medicine Hat Police Service headquarters), portions of Third Street in the Flats, Allowance Avenue and Woodman Avenue. The route itself follows a traditional path, from the police station, along First Street to Fifth Avenue, then jogs up to Second Street returning to South Railway, then up Third Street to Fourth Avenue, then to River Road. Only City of Medicine Hat Transit vehicles will be allowed on the parade route until 8:50 a.m. 11