City eyes end to skateboard bylaw

By James Tubb on April 26, 2022.

COLLIN GALLANT

cgallant@medicinehatnews.com
Twitter: CollinGallant

Medicine Hat city council will consider eliminating the city “Skateboard Bylaw” in May and allowing thrashers some new leeway, in a move to more generally pave the way for e-scooter rentals this summer.

Monday’s meeting of the public services committee picked up the issue and heard administrators believe safety concerns can be addressed while allowing the conveyances on roadways and trials in the city.

Skateboards would be kept off roads in proposed amendments, but be allowed on downtown sidewalks again after they were banned there in 2004.

Committee chair, Coun. Ramona Robins, says the changes bring the city closer to other communities listed in research presented, and currently there doesn’t seem to be much problem with skateboarders in Medicine Hat. 

“(Ticketing) is pretty rare, to inform the public,” said Robins. “We don’t always have to do what other cities are doing, but this brings us a little closer.”  

The move comes as the city is in final discussions with private companies to bring an e-scooter program to the city centre this summer. 

But, such a move could conflict with the 2004 skateboard bylaw that lays out a $50 fine for anyone caught riding “a device known as a skateboard” downtown or on specified roads throughout the city.

That was enacted after complaints from downtown business owners, as well as the potential for conflicts with pedestrians. 

“We know the downtown will be a major focus area where we currently have a skateboarding restricting bylaw,” said public services division head Brian Mastel.

“We still think there are ways to address that through the amendments. We’ll evaluate it over the summer and make adjustments as required.”

Coun. Allison Knodel said she was happy to see the city’s legislation updated, and felt it would promote skateboard and e-scooter use for general commutes.

“I’m an advocate to see this evolution in Medicine Hat,” said Knodel. “I look forward to seeing busy streets with skateboarders.”

Of seven Alberta cities, as well as Kelowna, examined by staff, six covered skateboards in either traffic or street bylaws, or a parks bylaw, regarding paths and trails. Lethbridge and St. Albert regulations do not mention skateboards at all. Fines range from $35 to $100, while the Medicine Hat bylaw could see a $50 charge laid, plus impounding the skateboard for 30 days.

Local police say however, they do not track prosecutions because they receive too few complaints.

Medicine Hat bylaw office received only eight complaints of skateboarding in 2021, six in 2019 and only one in the previous two years.

“I wouldn’t anticipate there would be a huge uptick in tickets,” said city solicitor Ben Bullock.

The bylaw change would add a definition of “e-scooter” to the Public Roads Bylaw, defining it as a two-wheel conveyance, with a provincial permit, handlebars to be used while standing and an electric motor. Drivers must be in control, observe rules of the road and obey traffic signals or face fines.

A change to the parks bylaw would allow e-scooters on paths and trails.

Regarding skateboards, the new changes would allow skateboarding on sidewalks, as long as it is not specifically prohibited by a sign or would interfere with a pedestrian. Riding on roads would still be prohibited.

The bylaw only covers public roads and properties, not private property.

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