Six quarter-sections of land are included in the Northwest Industrial Area Structure Plan. Five affected recreational organizations are located on the two quarter-sections furthest from Medicine Hat, and the last sections scheduled for possible development in 15-20 years.--NEWS PHOTO KENDALL KING
kking@medicinehatnews.com@kkingmhn
As development of the city’s Northwest Industrial Area Structure Plan continues, members of several organizations located in the area are voicing concerns over potential future impact to their organizations.
Approved by council in March 2022, the plan lays the groundwork for long-term design and construction of a nearly 1,000-acre industrial park between Boundary and Box Springs roads.
The area, zoned for general industrial with special use permissions, is home already to several industry-based businesses, but also houses five recreational organizations – the Medicine Hat Speedway, Drag Racing Association, Motocross Society, Rifle and Revolver Club and RC Flying Club – which lease land from the city.
While the original plan does not necessitate termination of the organizations’ existing lease contracts, it does acknowledge that development would impact club operations.
Pushback from the organizations did prompt response from council last March, with members inviting the organizations to sign new lease agreements of up to 20 years, while also directing staff overseeing the plan to work with organizations in determining a path forward. However, potential non-renewal of the leases in future was not ruled out, leaving the organizations in the lurch, say members.
Victoria Krizsan, president of the Medicine Hat Rifle and Revolver Club, says she and other members are upset by the decision to move forward with the plan.
“That resolution says that after our current lease, which ends Dec. 31 of 2028, we may have up to 20 years (on this site), but the whole purpose of that is to mean that after that time period, we need to find another spot,” Krizsan told the News. “The reality is, to find, establish and go through all the permitting and all the requirements of establishing a gun range, we do not have the means.”
While the land is leased, several permanent fixtures have been built, as Krizsan says organizations were led to believe they would be long-term tenants when first offered the agreements.
Loss of these fixtures, she says, would be a huge financial hit.
“We had our members do a really rough estimate of what the cost of the dirt, the manpower, the machines and the fencing that needs to go around (a firearms range) is, and it’s in roughly the $20-million mark,” said Krizsan.
Organization members acknowledge the city’s up-to-20-year lease offer secures time to prepare for potential non-renewal, but doesn’t provide a solution.
“(The drag strip) brings in lots of racers from out of town, we (generate) tourism,” said Medicine Hat Drag Racing Association president Dave Toth. “We put people in the hotels, we put them in restaurants, we bring other people to town to come watch races. We work with kids to get them involved in racing, we bring street racing into this drag and off the streets, and it goes on and on.
“I would not want to be the business which goes in there, buys the land and shuts all those clubs down because a business that does (would have) shut down five businesses to open up one, and they’ve taken a lot away from the community.”
While the plan is advancing, the city says it is continuing to work with organizations to determine potential mitigation measures. City representatives and hired plan consultants hosted a stakeholders session Feb. 23 to communicate additional details to those affected; as well as gather feedback for an outline plan to be presented to council for approval in coming months.
