City Notebook: Feast your eyes on Medicine Hat
By COLLIN GALLANT on December 21, 2019.
cgallant@medicinehatnews.com@CollinGallant Medicine Hat’s been in the national news a lot lately. The city’s decision to close gas wells makes it a sort of a poster child for struggles in the energy industry or rural Alberta. The city is also home to the world’s biggest metaphor for the uncertain outlook in the legal cannabis sector. The 1.6-million square-foot Aurora Sun Greenhouse will take longer to complete due to poor market demand for product. Not exactly doomsday, but hardly anything to cheer about. The town pops up in the media more than its fair share anyway, probably because reporters like its intriguing name. The Medicine Hat News also made the, ahem, news, as social media was lit aflame this week as pundits painted last Saturday’s editorial as a sort of shot heard round the world aimed at the Alberta government’s Canadian Energy Centre, aka the war room. In brusk terms, the editorial questioned the logic and outlook for success for the effort to correct misconceptions about the energy sector. Some version of this has been going on since Ed Stelmach was in charge, each with the tagline that “we need to do a better job of telling our story.” Anyway, soon the News was being held up as “the last real newspaper in Alberta” by some, and the events as a test case for freedom of the press. We’re flattered, but, for the record, we’re happy to publish opposing viewpoints from any source as long as they add something to the conversation. Which we did with the CEC’s response on our Wednesday pages. It was hardly a titanic battle, but also hardly a great start for the centre. It was launched on the same day as Greta Thunberg was named Time’s person of the year. Also this week it was discovered the centre’s logo had been lifted from a U.S. software company. Now with the Holidays approaching, we predict a few quiet weeks on this front. Return trips A couple of notable returns for performing artists. Meghan Patrick, who hit a home run as opening act for Dwight Yoakam at the 2016 Canalta Centre show, knocked it out of the train yard at the Wednesday arrival of the CP Holiday Train. As well, George Thorogood will play the Canalta Centre next April, it was announced Thursday, after the quintessential house-rocker played the Esplanade several years ago. We’ll recall one of the best quotes of 2018 which came from an anonymous customer on the first day of legalized cannabis sales. “I’m going to go fishing and play some George Thorogood,” he told reporters about his post-purchase plans. A look ahead Most official business is now on hold for the Holidays. City council returns to meet on Jan. 6. The News is gathering its annual compendium of news, sports, entertainment story’s of the year for rollout this coming week. Stay tuned for the newsmaker and top story of the year around New Year’s Eve. Any guesses? 100 years ago A Christmas Dinner for 12 could be made for less than $6.50, the News informed readers leading up to Dec. 25, 1919 as a spate of menus, recipes and budgets were supplied by local notables. One, by Mrs. J Hargrave, outlined a four-course meal consisting of vegetable soup, roasted goose (a nine-pounder at 35 cents per pound) and dressing, pickles, potatoes, jelly and mashed turnips, not to mention the Christmas pudding. The Dominion Labour party took an across-the-board defeat in city elections but quickly met to reorganize and work toward the creation of a co-operative store. Leader, Ald. Jimmy Hole, addressed the losses, but encouraged members to be ready for future elections. “The old line is parties have made a mess of running this country, ” he told the meeting. “But we have to hand them the mitt for running an election.” Christmas week would take on “double attractiveness” this year in Medicine Hat as the Empress theatre prepared to stage a production of Verdi’s “Il Trovatore” by the travelling San Carlo Opera Company as well as a the Medicine Hat Operatic Society in a one-night return engagement before New Year’s. A local photo studio’s Christmas slogan: “Give your friends something they can not buy: A photograph of yourself.” Federal restrictions on liquor and horse racing – brought in under the War Measures Act – would be rescinded as of Jan. 1, 1920, and all military personal imprisoned on such offences would be given amnesty. Provincial regulations prohibiting liquor would remain in place. 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. 31-30
