City notebook: Public opinion at city hall — Is there enough to go around?

By Collin Gallant on August 18, 2018.

Two issues on Monday’s council agenda dive into the issue of how city hall garners public opinion on topics before setting rules that tickle sore spots in the populace.

One involves how and where cannabis can be consumed — not in parks, but possibly on sidewalks, as a staff suggestion reads.

The other is about formalizing an area near the Saamis Archeological site as a fenced dog park. That’s rather than the open range that mutts and their owners currently enjoy.

A petition expressing concern and asking for reconsideration boasts about 5,000 names. That’s about 1,200 shy of what’s required on a standardized petition to legally force reconsideration by council. It might be enough however, to spark a serious debate about the plan, public services chair Julie Friesen tells the News.

City council last dealt with off-leash laws in the 2012 council term. No one can honestly say they ever thought marijuana use would be debated, let alone legal.

Another public services committee item suggest pot be folded into existing bylaws that govern tobacco use.

That’s after a survey garnering 7,100 responses was put out to the public last winter. That’s a record for public surveys in the Hat (a town of about 55,000 people older than 10). In some quarters however, questions linger about its validity.

Snooker

A lingering snooker note here about another table found in town.

This column explored the issue of how the game is disappearing from the local scene, and though the trend is playing out, there are now four confirmed spots where you can still count coloured balls.

The operator of the VLT lounge at the Parklane Hotel got in touch to mention that he’s kept a full-sized table at the location for the use of select customers and himself.

Its still lamented that Boston Billiards, Pete’s Billiards and other pool halls have closed.

Large tables can be found at the Redcliff Legion, Whisky Creek Pub, the city’s new Veiner Centre and the Parklane.

Fun and games

There’s certainly been some mojo at Athletic Park this year. The club that’s clubbed the competition this year in the Western Major Baseball League won its third league title before a team-record crowd on Thursday night. Mavericks fans lined the baselines and outfield berm to witness an 8-2 win in Game 5 of the championship series over the Regina Red Sox.

In the time-flies category, this off-season marks the 10th anniversary of Greg Morrison purchasing the club.

On the radar is a brewing legal disagreement between the County of Newell and Brooks Bombers GM Doug Jones (the mayor of Oyen) over $50,000 set aside for improvements to ball field there, the Brooks Bulletin reported this week.

A look ahead

Wednesday will see nine applications for cannabis retail store development will be heard at the municipal planning commission.

Monday’s council meeting will feature two public hearings on land designations. For an assisted living facility near Strachan Road, nearby residents are objecting to four-storey heights in the plan. A second attempt in two years proposes that a home across the street from the hospital be redeveloped into a denture clinic.

100 years ago

“Baseball, tug-of-war, handsome prizes” were to be featured at a combined Medicine Hat-Redcliff Labour day event, the News crowed on Aug. 15, 1918. As well, a greasy pole, nail hammering contest, a baby show and bicycle races would be staged at the event put on jointly by trade unionists in both municipalities.

The Irvine Fair features 800 exhibits of agricultural products from the area, but a “disappointing display of hay which organizers owed to shortage and stockpiling for the coming winter.

Premier Charles Stewart attended a civic reception at the Empress Theatre and a luncheon with the recently formed Rotary Club during a stop at Medicine Hat en route from an overseas trip to Edmonton.

A week after postmen threatened strike action in a dispute with Ottawa, railroad shopmen across the West went on similar footing after negotiations with the War Railways board were unilaterally closed.

The bison population as a dominion reserve near Wainwright has grown nine-fold to 3,500 since it was first stocked in 1909.