Medicine Hat, Alberta
Encyclopedia
Medicine Hat, known to locals as "The Hat", is a city of 61,097 people located in the southeastern part of the province of Alberta
Alberta
Alberta is a province of Canada. It had an estimated population of 3.7 million in 2010 making it the most populous of Canada's three prairie provinces...
, Canada
Canada
Canada is a North American country consisting of ten provinces and three territories. Located in the northern part of the continent, it extends from the Atlantic Ocean in the east to the Pacific Ocean in the west, and northward into the Arctic Ocean...
. It is enclaved within Cypress County
Cypress County, Alberta
Cypress County is a municipal district located in southeastern Alberta, Canada. The County completely surrounds the City of Medicine Hat and the Town of Redcliff.The municipality is part of Census Division 1, Alberta.- Geography :...
along with the nearby Town of Redcliff
Redcliff, Alberta
Redcliff is a town in southern Alberta, Canada within Cypress County. Bordering the City of Medicine Hat to the south and east, the town is bisected by Highway 1 and is located on the north bank of the South Saskatchewan River....
, although neither is part of the county.
It is situated on the Trans-Canada Highway
Trans-Canada Highway
The Trans-Canada Highway is a federal-provincial highway system that joins the ten provinces of Canada. It is, along with the Trans-Siberian Highway and Australia's Highway 1, one of the world's longest national highways, with the main route spanning 8,030 km...
, the eastern terminus of the Crowsnest Highway
Crowsnest Highway
The Crowsnest Highway, also known as the Interprovincial or, in British Columbia, the Southern Trans-Provincial, is an east-west highway, in length, through the southern parts of British Columbia and Alberta, providing the shortest highway connection between British Columbia's Lower Mainland and...
, and the South Saskatchewan River
South Saskatchewan River
The South Saskatchewan River is a major river in Canada that flows through the provinces of Alberta and Saskatchewan....
. Nearby communities considered part of the Medicine Hat area include the Town of Redcliff (located immediately adjacent to the city's northwest boundary) and the hamlets of Desert Blume
Desert Blume, Alberta
Desert Blume is a hamlet in southern Alberta, Canada within Cypress County, adjacent to the southern boundary of Medicine Hat.The hamlet is located on southwest corner of South Boundary Road and Range Road 61A, southeast of Highway 3....
, Dunmore
Dunmore, Alberta
Dunmore is a hamlet in Alberta, Canada within Cypress County, located southeast of Medicine Hat's city limits on Highway 1 and the Canadian Pacific Railway mainline. It is also recognized as a designated place by Statistics Canada....
, Irvine
Irvine, Alberta
Irvine is a hamlet in Alberta, Canada within Cypress County. It is located approximately east of Medicine Hat on Highway 1 and has an elevation of .The hamlet is located in census division No. 1 and in the federal riding of Medicine Hat....
, Seven Persons, and Veinerville
Veinerville, Alberta
Veinerville is a hamlet in southern Alberta, Canada within Cypress County. It is located northwest of Highway 41A and east of Medicine Hat.- References :...
. The Cypress Hills (including Cypress Hills Interprovincial Park
Cypress Hills Interprovincial Park
Cypress Hills Interprovincial Park is an interprovincial park straddling the southern Alberta-Saskatchewan border, located southeast of Medicine Hat...
) is a relatively short distance (by car) to the southeast of the city.
Historically, Medicine Hat has been known for its large natural gas
Natural gas
Natural gas is a naturally occurring gas mixture consisting primarily of methane, typically with 0–20% higher hydrocarbons . It is found associated with other hydrocarbon fuel, in coal beds, as methane clathrates, and is an important fuel source and a major feedstock for fertilizers.Most natural...
fields, being immortalised by Rudyard Kipling
Rudyard Kipling
Joseph Rudyard Kipling was an English poet, short-story writer, and novelist chiefly remembered for his celebration of British imperialism, tales and poems of British soldiers in India, and his tales for children. Kipling received the 1907 Nobel Prize for Literature...
as having "all hell for a basement". Because of these reserves, the city is known as The Gas City. It is Alberta's sixth largest city. In October 2008, Medicine Hat was named one of Alberta's Top Employers
Alberta's Top Employers
Alberta's Top Employers is a competition that recognizes the best workplaces in Alberta. Published annually since October 2005, the designation recognizes the Alberta employers that lead their peers in providing exemplary employee benefits and forward-thinking human resource programs...
by Mediacorp Canada Inc., which was announced by the Calgary Herald
Calgary Herald
The Calgary Herald is a daily newspaper published in the Canadian city of Calgary, Alberta.- History :The paper was first published on August 31, 1883 by Andrew Armour and Thomas Braden as The Calgary Herald, Mining and Ranche Advocate and General Advertiser. It started as a weekly paper with only...
and the Edmonton Journal
Edmonton Journal
The Edmonton Journal is a daily newspaper in Edmonton, Alberta. It is part of the Postmedia Network.-History:The Journal was founded in 1903 by three local businessmen — John Macpherson, Arthur Moore and J.W. Cunningham — as a rival to Alberta's first newspaper, the 23-year-old...
.
Geography
The Medicine Hat landscape is dominated by the South Saskatchewan River valley. In addition to this major river, both the Seven Persons Creek and Ross CreekRoss Creek
Ross Creek is an estuary inlet within the city of Townsville, Queensland. It separates the Townsville CBD from Ross Island. The only passage across Ross Creek was by ferry until Victoria Bridge was completed in 1889.-History:...
empty into the South Saskatchewan River within the City of Medicine Hat boundary. The presence of these water bodies provide for a dramatic valley landscape with numerous cliffs, and finger coulees throughout the city. Beyond the city and river valley the land is flat to slightly rolling and is characterized by short-grass vegetation. Medicine Hat is also known as Canada's sunniest city.
Twenty-five miles to the east at 50°0′38.2"N 110°6′48.3"W lies the Badlands Guardian Geological Feature
Badlands Guardian
The Badlands Guardian is a geomorphological feature located near Medicine Hat in the south east corner of Alberta, Canada. Viewed from the air, the feature bears a strong resemblance to a human head wearing a full native American headdress, facing directly westward. Because of additional man-made...
. It is a landscape formation taking the form of a head wearing a feathered headdress. The head is 1000 feet (304.8 m) wide. It is in inverse relief, formed by valleys rather than raised ground.
Neighbourhoods
- North Flats – the oldest area in Medicine Hat. Located northeast of the CPRCanadian Pacific RailwayThe Canadian Pacific Railway , formerly also known as CP Rail between 1968 and 1996, is a historic Canadian Class I railway founded in 1881 and now operated by Canadian Pacific Railway Limited, which began operations as legal owner in a corporate restructuring in 2001...
marshaling yards near the South Saskatchewan River and downtown. An inner-city neighbourhood that is home to residential and industrial uses. This area is in the east valley. - South Flats – Located south of the CPR marshaling yard, also in the valley, and adjacent to downtown.
- Southeast Hill – One of the oldest areas of the city. It originally overlooked downtown on the north side of the hill and Kin Coulee on the south side. Originally this area housed CPR workers. Holds 4 schools.
- Southwest Hill – Located west of Division Avenue next to the SE Hill area. Holds 5 schools and the city's hospital.
- Riverside – A mature inner-city neighbourhood along the north bank of the South Saskatchewan River. The community has experienced, over the past 5 years, significant gentrificationGentrificationGentrification and urban gentrification refer to the changes that result when wealthier people acquire or rent property in low income and working class communities. Urban gentrification is associated with movement. Consequent to gentrification, the average income increases and average family size...
. Mature trees and boulevards line the streets. - River Heights – Located on the Southwest Hill north of the hospital, and south of the South Saskatchewan River. Includes River Heights Elementary School and an extended care wing, which was originally a part of the hospital.
- Crescent Heights – mainly built in the 1950s through to the 1960s. Located on the north side of city on the entire hill above the river valley.
- Parkview – located on the South Saskatchewan River.
- Ranchlands – A new neighbourhood in the northeast sector of the city. The neighborhood includes residential lands both above and in the South Saskatchewan River valley.
- Southview – Located in the southeast part of the city between Ross Glen and Crestwood.
- Park Meadows – An area that was developed in the 1990s. Primarily residential with several apartments.
- Crestwood and Norwood – This is an older area of town mainly built in the 1950s. It is located on a plateau southeast of the South Flats and the Seven Person's Creek. The Medicine Hat Stampede and Exhibition centre is within this area.
- Ross Glen – Low density middle class neighbourhood located in the southeast end of the city.
- South Ridge – The first residential development south of the Trans Canada Highway. First developed in the late 1970s. Adjacent to the World's Largest Teepee.
- South Vista Heights – A new residential suburban community south of the Trans Canada Highway. Community is 60% complete.
- Saamis Heights – A new community that is now almost complete. The community is located west of South Ridge in the south sector of the city. Saamis Heights was a very popular development and was completed in under 5 years. The community borders the Seven Person's Creek valley and thus provides many prime walkout view lots.
- Southlands – a community that opened in 2007. It is home to a significant regional commercial centre including Wal-Mart and Home Depot. The residential community includes parks, future school sites, many low residential lots, and several large multi-family sites.
- Cottonwood – A community located above the Cottonwood golf course, between the light industrial area and the airport. Overlooks the World's Largest Teepee.
Climate
Located in the steppeSteppe
In physical geography, steppe is an ecoregion, in the montane grasslands and shrublands and temperate grasslands, savannas, and shrublands biomes, characterized by grassland plains without trees apart from those near rivers and lakes...
region known as Palliser's Triangle
Palliser's Triangle
Palliser's Triangle, or the Palliser Triangle, is a largely semi-arid steppe region in the Prairie Provinces of Western Canada that was determined to be unsuitable for agriculture because of its unfavourable climate. The soil in this area is dark brown or black in color and is very nutrient-rich....
, Medicine Hat has a semi-arid, continental
Continentality
Continentality is the tendency of land to experience more thermal variation than water, due to the land's lower specific heat capacity. Continental climate also tends to be dryer than oceanic climate as there is less moisture input to the atmosphere from evaporation...
climate (Köppen climate classification
Köppen climate classification
The Köppen climate classification is one of the most widely used climate classification systems. It was first published by Crimea German climatologist Wladimir Köppen in 1884, with several later modifications by Köppen himself, notably in 1918 and 1936...
BSk), with cold, dry winter
Winter
Winter is the coldest season of the year in temperate climates, between autumn and spring. At the winter solstice, the days are shortest and the nights are longest, with days lengthening as the season progresses after the solstice.-Meteorology:...
s and warm to hot summer
Summer
Summer is the warmest of the four temperate seasons, between spring and autumn. At the summer solstice, the days are longest and the nights are shortest, with day-length decreasing as the season progresses after the solstice...
s. However, the winter cold is occasionally ameliorated by mild and dry chinook wind
Chinook wind
Chinook winds , often called chinooks, commonly refers to foehn winds in the interior West of North America, where the Canadian Prairies and Great Plains meet various mountain ranges, although the original usage is in reference to wet, warm coastal winds in the Pacific Northwest.Chinook is claimed...
s blowing from the west, and hot summer daytime temperature
Temperature
Temperature is a physical property of matter that quantitatively expresses the common notions of hot and cold. Objects of low temperature are cold, while various degrees of higher temperatures are referred to as warm or hot...
s are made more tolerable by low humidity
Humidity
Humidity is a term for the amount of water vapor in the air, and can refer to any one of several measurements of humidity. Formally, humid air is not "moist air" but a mixture of water vapor and other constituents of air, and humidity is defined in terms of the water content of this mixture,...
and rapid cooling in the evening hours. Medicine Hat receives less precipitation
Precipitation (meteorology)
In meteorology, precipitation In meteorology, precipitation In meteorology, precipitation (also known as one of the classes of hydrometeors, which are atmospheric water phenomena is any product of the condensation of atmospheric water vapor that falls under gravity. The main forms of precipitation...
annually than most other cities on the Canadian Prairies
Canadian Prairies
The Canadian Prairies is a region of Canada, specifically in western Canada, which may correspond to several different definitions, natural or political. Notably, the Prairie provinces or simply the Prairies comprise the provinces of Alberta, Saskatchewan, and Manitoba, as they are largely covered...
and plentiful sunshine
Sunshine
Sunshine is sunlight, the electromagnetic radiation emitted by the Sun, especially in the visible wavelengths.Sunshine may also refer to:-Film and television:*Sunshine , a historical film directed by István Szabó...
(widely known as "The sunniest city in Canada"), making it a popular retirement city. Maximum precipitation typically occurs in the late spring
Spring (season)
Spring is one of the four temperate seasons, the transition period between winter and summer. Spring and "springtime" refer to the season, and broadly to ideas of rebirth, renewal and regrowth. The specific definition of the exact timing of "spring" varies according to local climate, cultures and...
and early summer.
Name origins
The name "Medicine Hat" is the English translation ofMerman
Mermen are mythical male equivalents of mermaids – legendary creatures who have the form of a human from the waist up and are fish-like from the waist down.-Mythology:...
river serpent named 'Soy-yee-daa-bee' – the Creator – who appeared to a hunter and instructed him to sacrifice his wife to get mystical powers which were manifest in a special hat. Another legend tells of a battle long ago between the Blackfoot and the Cree in which a retreating Cree "Medicine Man" lost his headdress in the South Saskatchewan River
South Saskatchewan River
The South Saskatchewan River is a major river in Canada that flows through the provinces of Alberta and Saskatchewan....
.
A number of factors have always made Medicine Hat a natural gathering place. Prior to the arrival of Europeans the Blackfoot, Cree and Assiniboine nations used the area for hundreds of years. The gently sloping valley with its converging water ways and hardy native cottonwood trees attracted both man and the migratory bison herds which passed through the area.
Founding
In 1883, when the Canadian Pacific RailwayCanadian Pacific Railway
The Canadian Pacific Railway , formerly also known as CP Rail between 1968 and 1996, is a historic Canadian Class I railway founded in 1881 and now operated by Canadian Pacific Railway Limited, which began operations as legal owner in a corporate restructuring in 2001...
(CPR) reached Medicine Hat and crossed the river a town site was established using the name from the Indian legends. As the west developed, Medicine Hat became instrumental with the development of the first hospital past Winnipeg
Winnipeg
Winnipeg is the capital and largest city of Manitoba, Canada, and is the primary municipality of the Winnipeg Capital Region, with more than half of Manitoba's population. It is located near the longitudinal centre of North America, at the confluence of the Red and Assiniboine Rivers .The name...
in 1889 and as a CPR divisional point
Divisional point
In Canada, a divisional point is a railway depot that includes more than just a basic siding or station.- Overview :In the coal and steam era, a divisional point would include such amenities as a substantial passenger station, freight and baggage sheds, a roundhouse, water tank, coaling and sanding...
. It was incorporated as a town on October 31, 1898, and as a city on May 9, 1906. Medicine Hat is halfway between Winnipeg and Vancouver
Vancouver
Vancouver is a coastal seaport city on the mainland of British Columbia, Canada. It is the hub of Greater Vancouver, which, with over 2.3 million residents, is the third most populous metropolitan area in the country,...
.
Progress and growth
Rich in natural resources including natural gas, coal, clay, and farmland, the town was known in the early days as "the Pittsburgh of the West". A number of large industries located here, under the inducement of cheap and plentiful energy resources. Coal mines, brick works, pottery and glass bottle manufacturing plants, flour mills, etc. became established. The agricultural potential of the surrounding area, both in crop and livestock, also made the town a viable service centre with a well established transportation route. An economic boom was experienced between 1909–1914 bringing the population to over 10,000. Little growth occurred between the World Wars, although the population swelled in the mid-1940s due to the town hosting one of the largest Second World WarWorld War II
World War II, or the Second World War , was a global conflict lasting from 1939 to 1945, involving most of the world's nations—including all of the great powers—eventually forming two opposing military alliances: the Allies and the Axis...
P.O.W. camps
Prisoner-of-war camp
A prisoner-of-war camp is a site for the containment of combatants captured by their enemy in time of war, and is similar to an internment camp which is used for civilian populations. A prisoner of war is generally a soldier, sailor, or airman who is imprisoned by an enemy power during or...
in Canada. It was not until the 1950s that the town again experienced significant commercial development. Today, Medicine Hat prides itself as one of the most economical places to live in Canada, with its unique city-owned gas utility and power generation plant being predominant factors. Major industries have included chemical plants, a tire and rubber plant, a foundry, brickworks, etc. and Medicine Hat continues to grow and prosper.
Demographics
| Census History |
|
| Year | Population |
|---|---|
| 1901 | 1,570 |
| 1911 | 5,608 |
| 1921 | 9,634 |
| 1931 | 10,300 |
| 1941 | 10,571 |
| 1951 | 16,364 |
| 1961 | 24,484 |
| 1971 | 26,518 |
| 1981 | 40,380 |
| 1991 | 43,625 |
| 2001 | 51,249 |
| 2006 | 56,997 |
| 2009 | 61,097 |
The population of the City of Medicine Hat according to its 2009 municipal census is 61,097.
In 2006, Medicine Hat had a population of 56,997 living in 24,729 dwellings
House
A house is a building or structure that has the ability to be occupied for dwelling by human beings or other creatures. The term house includes many kinds of different dwellings ranging from rudimentary huts of nomadic tribes to free standing individual structures...
, an 11.2% increase from 2001. The city has a land area of 112.01 km² (43.2 sq mi) and a population density
Population density
Population density is a measurement of population per unit area or unit volume. It is frequently applied to living organisms, and particularly to humans...
of 508.9 /km2.
More than 89 percent of residents identified English
English language
English is a West Germanic language that arose in the Anglo-Saxon kingdoms of England and spread into what was to become south-east Scotland under the influence of the Anglian medieval kingdom of Northumbria...
as their first language
First language
A first language is the language a person has learned from birth or within the critical period, or that a person speaks the best and so is often the basis for sociolinguistic identity...
at the time of the 2006 census, while 6 percent identified German
German language
German is a West Germanic language, related to and classified alongside English and Dutch. With an estimated 90 – 98 million native speakers, German is one of the world's major languages and is the most widely-spoken first language in the European Union....
and just over 1 percent each identified Spanish
Spanish language
Spanish , also known as Castilian , is a Romance language in the Ibero-Romance group that evolved from several languages and dialects in central-northern Iberia around the 9th century and gradually spread with the expansion of the Kingdom of Castile into central and southern Iberia during the...
and French
French language
French is a Romance language spoken as a first language in France, the Romandy region in Switzerland, Wallonia and Brussels in Belgium, Monaco, the regions of Quebec and Acadia in Canada, and by various communities elsewhere. Second-language speakers of French are distributed throughout many parts...
as their first language learned. The next most common languages were Ukrainian
Ukrainian language
Ukrainian is a language of the East Slavic subgroup of the Slavic languages. It is the official state language of Ukraine. Written Ukrainian uses a variant of the Cyrillic alphabet....
, Chinese
Chinese language
The Chinese language is a language or language family consisting of varieties which are mutually intelligible to varying degrees. Originally the indigenous languages spoken by the Han Chinese in China, it forms one of the branches of Sino-Tibetan family of languages...
, Dutch
Dutch language
Dutch is a West Germanic language and the native language of the majority of the population of the Netherlands, Belgium, and Suriname, the three member states of the Dutch Language Union. Most speakers live in the European Union, where it is a first language for about 23 million and a second...
, and Polish
Polish language
Polish is a language of the Lechitic subgroup of West Slavic languages, used throughout Poland and by Polish minorities in other countries...
.
More than 79 percent of residents identified as Christian
Christian
A Christian is a person who adheres to Christianity, an Abrahamic, monotheistic religion based on the life and teachings of Jesus of Nazareth as recorded in the Canonical gospels and the letters of the New Testament...
at the time of the 2001 census while almost 20 percent indicated they had no religious affiliation. For specific denominations Statistics Canada
Statistics Canada
Statistics Canada is the Canadian federal government agency commissioned with producing statistics to help better understand Canada, its population, resources, economy, society, and culture. Its headquarters is in Ottawa....
counted 16,175 Roman Catholics (26.5 percent), 9,445 members of the United Church of Canada
United Church of Canada
The United Church of Canada is a Protestant Christian denomination in Canada. It is the largest Protestant church and, after the Roman Catholic Church, the second-largest Christian church in Canada...
(15.5 percent), and 6,170 Lutherans (slightly more than 10 percent). Less numerous denominations included 3,780 Anglican
Anglican Church of Canada
The Anglican Church of Canada is the Province of the Anglican Communion in Canada. The official French name is l'Église Anglicane du Canada. The ACC is the third largest church in Canada after the Roman Catholic Church and the United Church of Canada, consisting of 800,000 registered members...
s (more than 6 percent), 1,745 members of the Evangelical Missionary Church
Evangelical Missionary Church
The Evangelical Missionary Church of Canada is a Canadian family of churches with historical roots in the pioneer settlement of Ontario and the Canadian West, earlier European migration to the eastern seaboard of the USA, and the Reformation in Europe...
(almost 3 percent), 1,470 Baptists (over 2 percent), 1,220 identifying as Pentecostal (2 percent), 1,220 Latter-day Saints (2 percent), and 675 Presbyterian
Presbyterian Church in Canada
The Presbyterian Church in Canada is the name of a Protestant Christian church, of presbyterian and reformed theology and polity, serving in Canada under this name since 1875, although the United Church of Canada claimed the right to the name from 1925 to 1939...
s (just over 1 percent).
Infrastructure
The Province of Alberta and the City of Medicine Hat are preparing future plans for the upgrading of the Trans Canada Highway in the region to freeway status.The city owns the gas production, gas distribution, electric generation and electric distribution utilities that serve the citizens. The city-owned gas utility is the 30th largest natural gas producer (by volume produced) in Canada.
The city is working on design of the South-West Sector Sanitary Trunk main, extension of South Boundary Road from Strachan Road to Southridge Drive, and a South-West Sector water transmission line. This infrastructure will accommodate the development of new residential communities west of South Ridge Dr, and south of the Seven Persons Creek.
The city is served by the Medicine Hat Airport
Medicine Hat Airport
Medicine Hat Airport, , is located southwest of Medicine Hat, Alberta, Canada. Air Canada Express serves the airport daily from Calgary.During World War II the site was used as part of the British Commonwealth Air Training Plan for No. 34 Service Flying Training School . The SFTS was open from 8...
and Medicine Hat Transit
Medicine Hat Transit
Medicine Hat Transit is the municipal public transportation system operated by Medicine Hat, a small city in southeastern Alberta, Canada. Service is available and accessible to all residents of the community, including specialized transit for persons with disabilities; all of the MHT fleet is...
.
Several ICT business groups have started to come together to form a loose coalition whose prime objective is to facilitate economic growth and diversify the local economy by building a robust municipally owned community network based on fiber optic technologies.
Military
Medicine Hat is home to The South Alberta Light HorseThe South Alberta Light Horse
The South Alberta Light Horse, or SALH, is an armoured reconnaissance unit of the Canadian Forces Army Reserve based in Medicine Hat and Edmonton, Alberta...
(SALH), an army reserve unit. The SALH dates back to 1885 when it took part in the North-West Rebellion
North-West Rebellion
The North-West Rebellion of 1885 was a brief and unsuccessful uprising by the Métis people of the District of Saskatchewan under Louis Riel against the Dominion of Canada...
. Since then it has gained battle honours in the First
World War I
World War I , which was predominantly called the World War or the Great War from its occurrence until 1939, and the First World War or World War I thereafter, was a major war centred in Europe that began on 28 July 1914 and lasted until 11 November 1918...
and Second World Wars
World War II
World War II, or the Second World War , was a global conflict lasting from 1939 to 1945, involving most of the world's nations—including all of the great powers—eventually forming two opposing military alliances: the Allies and the Axis...
and today its members continue to serve overseas on United Nations
United Nations
The United Nations is an international organization whose stated aims are facilitating cooperation in international law, international security, economic development, social progress, human rights, and achievement of world peace...
and North Atlantic Treaty Organization missions. Currently the SALH has members serving in Afghanistan.
Medicine Hat was also home to a British Commonwealth Air Training Plan
British Commonwealth Air Training Plan
The British Commonwealth Air Training Plan , known in some countries as the Empire Air Training Scheme , was a massive, joint military aircrew training program created by the United Kingdom, Canada, Australia and New Zealand, during the Second World War...
airfield and a POW
Prisoner of war
A prisoner of war or enemy prisoner of war is a person, whether civilian or combatant, who is held in custody by an enemy power during or immediately after an armed conflict...
camp during the Second World War.
Canadian Forces Base Suffield
CFB Suffield
Canadian Forces Base Suffield , is the largest Canadian Forces Base and the largest Commonwealth military training base in the world...
is located 50 kilometres (31.1 mi) west of the city. It is estimated that the base contributes C$120 million annually to the local economy, principally through its two lodger units: British Army Training Unit Suffield
British Army Training Unit Suffield
The British Army Training Unit Suffield is a British Army unit located at the vast training area of Canadian Forces Base Suffield in Alberta, Canada...
, and Defence Research and Development Canada
Defence Research and Development Canada
Defence Research and Development Canada, also Defence R&D Canada or DRDC , is an agency of the Department of National Defence , whose purpose is to respond to the scientific and technological needs of the Canadian Forces...
– Suffield).
Attractions
Just south of the Trans-Canada Highway and overlooking the Blackfoot buffalo jump
Buffalo jump
A buffalo jump is a cliff formation which North American Indians historically used in mass killings of plains bison. Hunters herded the bison and drove them over the cliff, breaking their legs and rendering them immobile. Tribe members waiting below closed in with spears and bows to finish the kills...
is the world's tallest teepee, the "Saamis Tepee". Designed for the 1988 Winter Olympics
1988 Winter Olympics
The 1988 Winter Olympics, officially known as the XV Olympic Winter Games, were a winter multi-sport event celebrated in and around Calgary, Alberta, Canada from 13 to 28 February 1988. The host was selected in 1981 after having beat Falun, Sweden and Cortina d'Ampezzo, Italy...
in Calgary
Calgary
Calgary is a city in the Province of Alberta, Canada. It is located in the south of the province, in an area of foothills and prairie, approximately east of the front ranges of the Canadian Rockies...
as a symbol of Canada's Aboriginal heritage, it was moved to Medicine Hat in 1991. It stands over 20 stories high and was designed to withstand extreme temperatures and winds up to 240 km/h (150 mph). During a January 2007 windstorm, a portion of the tepee was damaged. Upon further inspection, it was discovered that extensive weathering was partially to blame. After repairs were complete, the Saamis Tepee now stands approximately 15 feet (4.6 m) shorter.
The Medicine Hat Family Leisure Centre is the largest indoor multi-purpose facility in the city. The building is 90000 sq ft (8,361.3 m²) and is sited on 57 acres (230,671 m²) in the north end of the city. The facility includes an Olympic-sized ice rink, 50m pool, waterslide, diving platforms, kiddies pool, wave pool, cafe, 4 ball diamonds, lighted football field, and 3 soccer pitches.
Located in downtown Medicine Hat, The Esplanade is a large multi purpose cultural centre. The facility features a 700+ seat performing arts theatre, art gallery, museum, archives, gift shop, and cafe. The Esplanade officially opened in October 2005.
The Medicine Hat Drag Racing Association is located just off the Trans Canada Highway on Boundary Road or the spectators entrance on Box Springs Road. This is Alberta's only sanctioned NHRA track and is a 1/4 mile in length. The facility proudly supports affordable family entertainment and encourages people to race the strip, not the street. The seasons typically run from May till September hosting a variety of events from Jet and Alcohol cars, bracket racing and the NHRA National open which attracts approx. 300+ cars from all over North America.
Medicine Hat Public Library
Medicine Hat Public Library
Medicine Hat Public Library is a public library located in Medicine Hat, Alberta, Canada. It has over 10,000 annual members throughout Medicine Hat...
is located across the street from The Esplanade. It has over 10,000 annual members and is the resource library for the Shortgrass Library System
Shortgrass Library System
The Shortgrass Library System consists of twelve public libraries in Southeast Alberta. The system headquarters is located in Medicine Hat. It has the distinction of being the first regional library system in the province of Alberta to have all eligible municipalities as members of a library system...
of Southern Alberta.
Parks
There are over 100 kilometres (62.1 mi) of walking trails in the city. All of the major parks are linked by the extensive trail system.
- Police Point Park was an early North-West Mounted Police outpost, and the park is now a 300 acres (1.2 km²) nature-lovers' dream with shale paths next to the South Saskatchewan River. It is also one of Southern Alberta's well known birding destinations. The park encompasses The Medicine Hat Interpretive Program building, where they run programs and inform the public about the happenings of nature around the city.
- Strathcona Island Park is located along the south bank of the South Saskatchewan River. The park has 5 kilometres (3.1 mi) of walking trails, playgrounds, a water park, ball diamonds, a pavilion centre, washrooms, ice skating, kitchens and fire pits. The park is heavily treed.
- Kin Coulee Park is located along the banks of the Seven Persons Creek. This 100 acre (0.404686 km²) park is almost entirely manicured. The park features a skateboard park, 2 ball diamonds, beach volleyball courts, fire pits, a band shell, washrooms, and 2 playgrounds.
- Echodale Regional Park is a 650 acre (2.6 km²) park that includes an artificial swimming lake. The amenities include a beach, walking trails, fire pits, canoe rentals, snack bar, washrooms and historic ranch.
- Central Park – located in the Southeast Hill neighborhood – is surrounded by large cottonwood trees and, on the north side, a row of cedar trees. It also has play structures and a spray-deck. A street basketball court can be found here, which is usually in full use during the summer months.
- Riverside Veterans' Memorial Park – located downtown across River Road from the South Saskatchewan river and across 6th Avenue from city hall – is home to the city's Cenotaph, a WWII era Sherman tank, a brick mural by James Marshall and two CPR locomotives; one of the locomotives starred in the 1976 Gene Wilder/Richard Pryor movie Silver Streak.
Golf courses
- Medicine Hat Golf and Country Club is located along the north banks of the South Saskatchewan River.
- Connaught Golf Course
- Cottonwood Coulee Golf Course is located in southwest Medicine Hat along the banks of the Seven Persons Creek
- Paradise Valley Par 3 is located along the banks of the Seven Persons Creek.
- Ross Creek Par 3 is located along the banks of the Bullshead Creek.
- Riverview Golf Course is located in Redcliff along the banks of the South Saskatchewan River.
- The Links at Desert Blume are located immediately south of the city.
- Advantage Golf Academy, located at Cottonwood Coulee Golf Course, is Medicine Hat's only full time golf instructional facility.
Education
Medicine Hat School District No. 76Medicine Hat School District No. 76
Medicine Hat School District No. 76 is the public school board in Medicine Hat, Alberta, Canada.-Size:Medicine Hat School District No. 76 operates 15 schools covering grades ranging from Kindergarten to Grade 12. Enrollment for 2008/2009 was 6,370 students. As well, the school district operates...
has been serving the needs of public school students since it came into existence in 1886. The District has five trustees and comprises 3 secondary schools, Alexandra Middle School (formerly Alexandra Junior High School), Crescent Heights High School
Crescent Heights High School (Medicine Hat)
Crescent Heights High School is a high school with approximately 1,300 students in grades 7-12 in Medicine Hat, Alberta. The school is part of the Medicine Hat School District No. 76 and is one of four high schools in the city of Medicine Hat, Alberta supporting a population of some 60,000 people....
and Medicine Hat High School
Medicine Hat High School
Medicine Hat High School is a high school of approximately 1300 students. It is located in Medicine Hat, Alberta, Canada. It is a member of School District 76 , Medicine Hat's main public school district....
, 12 elementary (K–6) schools, a special needs school for the severely disabled, as well as an Alternative School program which incorporates a joint partnership with the YMCA Teen Moms' Program, YMCA Stay-in-School Program, a program with the former Palliser Health Region for secondary students and a program supported by Alberta Children Services for students with behavioural needs. Medicine Hat School District has a current enrollment of 6,400 students for children from 2-1/2 years of age from kindergarten
Kindergarten
A kindergarten is a preschool educational institution for children. The term was created by Friedrich Fröbel for the play and activity institute that he created in 1837 in Bad Blankenburg as a social experience for children for their transition from home to school...
through Grade 12. French immersion
French immersion
French immersion is a form of bilingual education in which a child who does not speak French as his or her first language receives instruction in school in French...
programming is provided as an option.
The Medicine Hat Catholic/Separate School District provides educational programming for students from kindergarten
Kindergarten
A kindergarten is a preschool educational institution for children. The term was created by Friedrich Fröbel for the play and activity institute that he created in 1837 in Bad Blankenburg as a social experience for children for their transition from home to school...
through Grade 12. French immersion programming is provided as an option in select District schools. The board of trustees are considered relatively new, following the 2007 municipal election when all but one of the former trustees were replaced by the voting public. Shortly after the election, the former Superintendent of the district was fired and the deputy superintendent was dismissed months later. A search has been on to find suitable replacements.
Medicine Hat has a single Francophone school called Ecole les Cyprés as well at the Centre for Academic and Personal Excellence (CAPE) public/charter school
Alberta charter schools
Alberta charter schools are a special type of public schools which have a greater degree of autonomy than a normal public school, to allow them to offer programs that are significantly different from regular public schools operated by district school boards. Charter schools report directly to the...
.
The Medicine Hat College
Medicine Hat College
Medicine Hat College is a public, board governed, comprehensive community college serving a large region of southeastern Alberta and southwestern Saskatchewan, Canada....
is located in south Medicine Hat. The first students were accepted to the college in 1965. Now with over 2,500 students and 3 campuses, the college has grown into an integral part of the community. Athletics include basketball, volleyball, golf, and soccer.
Contemporary issues
City Council chose the Box Springs Business Park site in August 2008 for the new events centre. Currently the city is working to secure funding.The City of Medicine Hat, the Town of Redcliff and Cypress County are together working on a plan that will govern the location and intensity of growth around the city for the next 50 years. The plan is anticipated to be adopted in the Fall of 2008.
Alberta Infrastructure and Transportation is currently negotiating with landowners south of the city to secure land for the future Trans-Canada Highway
Trans-Canada Highway
The Trans-Canada Highway is a federal-provincial highway system that joins the ten provinces of Canada. It is, along with the Trans-Siberian Highway and Australia's Highway 1, one of the world's longest national highways, with the main route spanning 8,030 km...
freeway bypass. The bypass is expected to be constructed in the next 10–20 years.
The average home price has climbed to $239,000 in May 2007.
Long-serving MP Monte Solberg
Monte Solberg
Monte Kenton Solberg, PC is a former Canadian Member of Parliament, representing the riding of Medicine Hat in the Canadian House of Commons as a member of the Conservative Party of Canada. He was the Minister of Human Resources and Social Development...
revealed in September 2008 that he would not be running in the next election. LaVar Payne
LaVar Payne
LaVar Payne is a Canadian politician, who was elected to represent the electoral district of Medicine Hat in the 2008 Canadian federal election...
won election as MP for Medicine Hat in the subsequent election in October, 2008; both Solberg and Payne are members of the Conservative Party of Canada.
Local media
Medicine Hat has several radio and television stationTelevision station
A television station is a business, organisation or other such as an amateur television operator that transmits content over terrestrial television. A television transmission can be by analog television signals or, more recently, by digital television. Broadcast television systems standards are...
s broadcasting from it, as well as receiving radio stations from Calgary.
Medicine Hat is also home to comtv.ca, a community website, that hosts regular video content from the community.
Notable people
- Roloff BenyRoloff BenyRoloff Beny, OC was a Canadian photographer who spent the better part of his life in Rome and on his photographic travels throughout the world...
, artist and exhibitor - Ronnie BurkettRonnie BurkettRonnie Burkett is a Canadian puppeteer, best known for his original theatrical plays for adults, performed with marionettes...
, puppeteer - Terri ClarkTerri ClarkTerri Lynn Sauson , known professionally as Terri Clark, is a Canadian country music artist who has had success in both Canada and the United States. Signed to Mercury Records in 1995, she released her self-titled debut that year...
, country singer - Murray CravenMurray CravenMurray Dean Craven is a Canadian former professional ice hockey centre who played 18 seasons in the National Hockey League between 1982–83 and 1999–2000.-Playing career:...
, former professional hockey player - Glen EdwardsGlen Edwards (pilot)Glen Edwards was a test pilot for the U.S. Air Force, and is the namesake of Edwards Air Force Base.Edwards was born in Medicine Hat, Alberta, Canada, where he lived until 1931. At age 13, his parents moved the family to California, settling in Lincoln, northeast of Sacramento...
, test pilotTest pilotA test pilot is an aviator who flies new and modified aircraft in specific maneuvers, known as flight test techniques or FTTs, allowing the results to be measured and the design to be evaluated....
and namesake of Edwards Air Force BaseEdwards Air Force BaseEdwards Air Force Base is a United States Air Force base located on the border of Kern County, Los Angeles County, and San Bernardino County, California, in the Antelope Valley. It is southwest of the central business district of North Edwards, California and due east of Rosamond.It is named in... - Daniel FederkeilDaniel FederkeilDaniel Hubert Federkeil is a retired American football offensive tackle. He was originally signed by the Colts as an undrafted free agent in 2006.- Professional career :...
, professional football player - Bruno GerussiBruno GerussiBruno Gerussi was a Canadian television actor born in Medicine Hat, Alberta, best known for the lead role in the CBC Television series The Beachcombers...
, actor - Clyde GilmourClyde GilmourClyde Gilmour, was a Canadian broadcaster and print journalist, mostly known for his half-century career with CBC Radio.-Biography:...
, broadcaster, radio host, and officer of the Order of CanadaOrder of CanadaThe Order of Canada is a Canadian national order, admission into which is, within the system of orders, decorations, and medals of Canada, the second highest honour for merit... - Darren HelmDarren HelmDarren Helm is a Canadian professional ice hockey player currently playing for the Detroit Red Wings of the National Hockey League.- Junior career :...
, professional hockey player - Corey HirschCorey HirschCorey Hirsch is a retired Canadian ice hockey goaltender. He spent the majority of his National Hockey League career with the Vancouver Canucks. He is currently the goaltending coach for the St...
, former professional hockey player - Richard Hortness, Olympic swimmer
- Mike HudemaMike HudemaMicheal George Henry ' Hudema is a Canadian activist who has worked for advocacy organizations including Greenpeace, the Rainforest Action Network, Global Exchange, the University of Alberta Students' Union, and the Ruckus Society...
, social and environmental activist - Gordie JohnsonGordie JohnsonGordie Johnson is a Canadian musician, best known as the front man for the reggae-rock band Big Sugar, and later southern rock band Grady.-Biography:...
, lead singer of Big SugarBig SugarBig Sugar is a Canadian blues-rock band, they were active from 1991 to 2004 and again since April 2010. The band has sold more than half a million albums in Canada.-History:... - Matt KeetleyMatt KeetleyMatt Keetley is a Canadian professional ice hockey goaltender who is currently a free agent-Personal life:...
, professional hockey player - Blaine LacherBlaine LacherBlaine Lacher was a goaltender for the Boston Bruins of the National Hockey League in the mid-1990s....
, former professional hockey player - Trevor LindenTrevor LindenTrevor John Linden, C.M., O.B.C. is a retired Canadian professional ice hockey player. He played centre and right wing with four different teams: the Vancouver Canucks , New York Islanders, Montreal Canadiens, and Washington Capitals...
, former professional hockey player - Greg Morrison, former professional baseball player
- Susan NattrassSusan NattrassSusan "Sue" Marie Nattrass, is a Canadian shooter and medical researcher in osteoporosis. She was born in Medicine Hat, Alberta. She competed at six Olympic Games in 1976, 1988, 1992, and 2000 to 2008; she is one of sixteen shooters worldwide to compete at at least six Olympic Games...
, Olympian competitive shooter and officer of the Order of Canada - Jess Nowicki, Canadian Railroad Hall of Fame Inductee
- Chris OsgoodChris OsgoodChristopher John Osgood is a retired Canadian professional ice hockey goaltender. He's currently ranked tenth in wins in NHL regular season history with 401 career wins. He spent the first part of his 17-year NHL career with the Detroit Red Wings, then the New York Islanders and the St. Louis...
, former professional hockey player - Zaac PickZaac PickZaac Pick is a Canadian singer-songwriter. Born in Medicine Hat, Alberta, he currently resides in Langley, British Columbia. Formerly part of the Vancouver based band Doubting Paris as a guitarist, Pick began his solo project and released his debut EP Fierce Wind in 2009...
, singer-songwriterSinger-songwriterSinger-songwriters are musicians who write, compose and sing their own musical material including lyrics and melodies. As opposed to contemporary popular music singers who write their own songs, the term singer-songwriter describes a distinct form of artistry, closely associated with the... - Kalan PorterKalan PorterRichard Kalan Porter is a singer-songwriter from Medicine Hat, Alberta, and the winner of the reality television series Canadian Idol in season 2. He started to sing at an early age and is classically trained, playing several instruments, most notably, the violin and viola...
, singer-songwriter and winner of Canadian IdolCanadian IdolCanadian Idol is a Canadian reality television competition show which aired on CTV, based on the British show Pop Idol. The show was a competition to find the most talented young singer in Canada, and was hosted by Ben Mulroney. Jon Dore was the "roving reporter" for the first three seasons...
(season 2) - Kenneth Sauer, member of the Order of CanadaOrder of CanadaThe Order of Canada is a Canadian national order, admission into which is, within the system of orders, decorations, and medals of Canada, the second highest honour for merit...
and the Alberta Order of ExcellenceAlberta Order of ExcellenceThe Alberta Order of Excellence is a civilian honour for merit in the Canadian province of Alberta. Instituted in 1979 when Lieutenant Governor Frank C... - Richard Edward Taylor, co-recipient of the 1990 Nobel Prize for Physics
- Arnold TremereArnold TremereArnold Tremere, Ph.D. was appointed as the Canadian International Grains Institute first director of Feed and Technology from May 1982 to October 1989, and subsequently was promoted to the position of Executive Director, the highest non-partisan position within the field of Agriculture in the...
, Executive DirectorExecutive directorExecutive director is a term sometimes applied to the chief executive officer or managing director of an organization, company, or corporation. It is widely used in North American non-profit organizations, though in recent decades many U.S. nonprofits have adopted the title "President/CEO"...
of the Canadian International Grains Institute (government official) - Tommy Tweed, playwright, actor, broadcaster, recipient of the John Drainie AwardJohn Drainie AwardThe John Drainie Award is presented by the Canadian performers organisation ACTRA at the Gemini Awards. Although meant to be presented annually there have been years where it was not presented...
, and officer of the Order of CanadaOrder of CanadaThe Order of Canada is a Canadian national order, admission into which is, within the system of orders, decorations, and medals of Canada, the second highest honour for merit... - Ashley van Ham, winner of Canada's Worst Driver 4Canada's Worst Driver 4Canada's Worst Driver 4 is the fourth season of Canada's Worst Driver, a Discovery Channel Canada television series which seeks to improve the driving of eight nominated contestants, each of which trying to avoid being named Canada's Worst Driver....
See also
- List of communities in Alberta
- List of cities in Alberta
- Medicine Hat TigersMedicine Hat TigersThe Medicine Hat Tigers are a junior ice hockey team in the Western Hockey League who play out of Medicine Hat, Alberta, Canada. Established in 1970, the team has won two national Memorial Cups, five WHL League Championships and seven Division Titles. The Tigers play at the Medicine Hat Arena....