Members of the Medicine Hat Skateboard Association sit in the gallery of Monday night's council meeting. The group hopes to stage fireworks in an expansion of its long-running July 1 activities near Kin Coulee Park.--News Photo Collin Gallant
cgallant@medicinehatnews.com@CollinGallant
July 1 will be a special day in 2024, with a special process for groups seeking city grants to stage Canada Day festivities and – potentially – two separate fireworks displays.
The situation arises after council approved a recommended list of festival and event grants in December, but agreed with administrators to consider more funds and some changes to better consider large, well-known, recurring festivals.
Those changes, approved Monday night, would add money but also create a special class for Canada Day that would be considered after a call for proposals from community groups.
“It seems there is the opportunity to have more than one activity on Canada Day, and to have two events would be a tremendous opportunity,” said Coun. Ramona Robins, the public services committee chair, who moved a series of changes.
That happened as four dozen members of the Medicine Hat Skateboard Association – previously awarded a grant to expand an annual Beat the Heat July 1 event to include fireworks – filled the gallery.
Since 2020, the Medicine Hat Stampede has hosted fireworks after the Canada Day Society disbanded.
“We have more than one group interested in hosting Canada Day celebrations, which we haven’t had before,” said public services division head Brian Stauth. “It’s an interesting concept.”
Mayor Linnsie Clark said she hoped many groups could collaborate on proposals.
“I think the intention for both is to have the best Canada Day celebration as possible,” she said.
Coun. Darren Hirsch said “Canada Day belongs to everyone” in terms of events, but felt duelling fireworks displays are a different matter.
“From a safety perspective, I’d like to know where that is. But I applaud groups that want to stand up and do it,” he said.
Council approved a list of grant recommendations in December, but at that time also heard administrators were now examining the structure of the one- and two-year grant program and whether more money might be needed.
Robins and administrators outlined that some well-established recipients, such as Canada Day Fireworks, the spring Spectrum Festival and several others might be considered “legacy” and therefore an ongoing grant item.
The new proposal would see $57,000 dispersed in the current one-year grant cycle, and add $40,500 to the one-and two-year funding envelopes from council’s contingency fund to balance the years.
Administration is also directed to further study the framework.
“It’s a new process, but hopefully we can smooth out the kinks,” said Coun. Alison Van Dyke.
Power situation
Council members saluted city utility workers Monday as a weekend deepfreeze subsided with stating there were no issues with power supply or “hot spots” in the distribution system.
Coun. Darren Hirsch, chair of the energy committee, read out the statement, adding the Hat power plant was able to meet local demand and export power to stabilize a struggling Alberta grid. It is a testament to a well-run and well-maintained utility system, he said.
“Certainly the last four days told us that,” said Hirsch. “It’s the first time to our knowledge that an alert was sent out (by TV and radio) and it raised the level of alarm.”
Medicine Hat is a self-sufficient market and doesn’t rely on grid imports, capable of producing 299 megawatts of power. Local demand isn’t that high, but excess is sold onto the Alberta grid, which Hirsch said means Hatters did their part to lessen the wider crisis on the grid.
“It’s gratifying to know that we had our needs met, but also that we were able to help the province meet their needs,” said Mayor Linnsie Clark.
