64-669: Finlay Bridge opened on May 14, 1908, in Medicine Hat, Alberta . Spanning 274 meters (900 ft) across the South Saskatchewan River , the traffic and pedestrian bridge connects Medicine Hat's north side to the south side. Upon completion it was largest steel bridge in Western Canada and is officially listed on the Alberta Register of Historic Places. It is named after William Thomas Finlay ,
128-548: A major junior ice hockey team in the Western Hockey League (WHL). Established in 1970, the team has won seven division titles, five WHL league championships and back-to-back Canadian Hockey League (CHL) Memorial Cup national championships in 1987 and 1988 in its history . Numerous Tigers alumni moved on to play in the National Hockey League (NHL). Lanny McDonald played WHL hockey for
192-491: A basement". Because of these reserves, the city is known as "The Gas City". In 2021, Medicine Hat became the first city in Canada to achieve "functional zero" chronic homelessness, defined as three consecutive months where three or fewer individuals experienced chronic homelessness. They were able to achieve this due to their adoption of a Housing First policy to combat homelessness beginning in 2009. The name "Medicine Hat"
256-523: 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 . A number of natural factors have always made Medicine Hat a gathering place. The gently sloping valley with its converging waterways and hardy native cottonwood trees attracted both the migratory bison herds which passed through the area, and humans who used
320-611: A campground in the early 20th century. In 1930, they built the Maple Leaf motel on the property to generate some income. In 1990 a local family bought the property. With a view toward keeping the prominent property as part of the community, they adapted it as the Saamis Memorial Funeral Chapel & Crematorium. Now named the Saamis Tepee , this work of public art is the world's tallest teepee . It
384-624: A city on May 9, 1906. The depot itself is still standing and has been a National Historic Site itself since 1992. Medicine Hat is halfway between Winnipeg and Vancouver , British Columbia, on the Pacific Coast. Rich in natural resources including natural gas, coal, clay, and farmland, the town became industrialized and was known in its early days as "the Pittsburgh of the West”. A number of large industries located here, attracted by
448-487: A historic Blackfoot buffalo jump. These revealed numerous artifacts associated with bands of First Nations ancestors, known as the Old Women's Phase to archeologists. They found "quantities of stone tools, fire cracked rock, butchered bone and pottery", marking this as an important spot. Most of the bones were identified as bison. Additional excavations were conducted in 1972 and 1973, and a field school for college students
512-565: 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. French immersion programming is provided as an option at one elementary school and at Crescent Heights High. The district currently works with the BHTH Institution for Education, part of
576-478: A land area of 111.97 km (43.23 sq mi), it had a population density of 565.1/km (1,463.5/sq mi) in 2021. In the 2016 Census of Population conducted by Statistics Canada, the City of Medicine Hat had a population of 63,260 living in 26,652 of its 27,970 total private dwellings, a change of 5.4% from its 2011 population of 60,005. With a land area of 112.04 km (43.26 sq mi), it had
640-540: A local politician who was the most vocal advocate for the bridge's construction. Prior to Finlay Bridge completion, Medicine Hat residents had to choose between either the CP Rail bridge or a ferry, operated by the North-West Mounted Police , to get from one side of the city to the other. Both were risky options and the ferry route was only open 6 months of the year due to winter freezing. During
704-538: A population density of 564.6/km (1,462.4/sq mi) in 2016. The population of the City of Medicine Hat according to its 2015 municipal census is 63,018, a change of 3% from its 2012 municipal census population of 61,180, In 2021, 85.9% of residents were white/European, 9.0% were visible minorities and 5.1% were Indigenous . The largest visible minority groups were South Asian (1.9%), Filipino (1.8%), Black (1.5%), and Chinese (1.0%). 89.6% of residents identified English as their first language as of
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#1732802207159768-480: A portion of the teepee was damaged. Inspection revealed that extensive weathering had weakened the structure. The necessary repairs resulted in lowering the height of Saamis Teepee by approximately 15 ft (4.6 m). There are over 100 km (62 mi) of walking trails in the city. All of the major parks are linked by the extensive trail system. The city is home to the Medicine Hat Tigers ,
832-546: A town constable position to be created; at this time the officer was also in charge of health enforcement and other duties. As of 2017 the MHPS employs around 100 officers. In October 2016 Medicine Hat Police Service opened a police museum, the third of its kind in Alberta. The MHPS was the first police force in Canada to receive a Police Service Banner and first in Alberta to be granted a National Municipal Police Service Badge by
896-669: A watershed of 146,100 square kilometres (56,400 sq mi), 1,800 of which are in Montana in the United States and 144,300 square kilometres (55,700 sq mi) in Alberta and Saskatchewan. The river originates at the confluence of the Bow and Oldman Rivers , north of Grassy Lake, Alberta at the incorporated community of Bow Island, not to be confused with the town of Bow Island, Alberta . The waters of these two rivers, in turn, originate from winter snowpack and rainfall in
960-512: Is Alberta's only sanctioned National Hot Rod Association (NHRA) track and is a 1/4 mile in length. The facility supports affordable family entertainment and encourages people to race the strip, not the street. The seasons typically run from May till September, with events featuring jet and alcohol cars, bracket racing, and the NHRA National open, which attracts approximately 300 cars from all over North America. Medicine Hat Public Library
1024-465: Is a city in southeast Alberta , Canada. It is located along the South Saskatchewan River . It is approximately 169 km (105 mi) east of Lethbridge and 295 km (183 mi) southeast of Calgary . This city and the adjacent Town of Redcliff to the northwest are within Cypress County . Medicine Hat was the eighth-largest city in Alberta in 2021 with a population of 63,271. It
1088-655: Is also the sunniest place in Canada according to Environment and Climate Change Canada, averaging 2,544 hours of sunshine a year. Started as a railway town, today Medicine Hat is served by the Trans-Canada Highway ( Highway 1 ) and the eastern terminus of the Crowsnest Highway ( Highway 3 ). Nearby communities considered part of the Medicine Hat area include the Town of Redcliff (abutting
1152-465: Is an English interpretation of Saamis (SA-MUS) – the Blackfoot word for the eagle tail feather headdress worn by medicine men . Several legends are associated with the name of a mythical mer-man 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 manifested in a special hat. Another legend tells of
1216-807: Is in Alberta on the Canadian Forces Base Suffield . Covering an area of 460.71 km (177.88 sq mi), the IBA consists of two sections on the base along the north-western shore of the South Saskatchewan River. The landscape consists of mixed grasslands with intermittent salt lakes and natural springs. Birds found at the site include the burrowing owl , loggerhead shrike , long-billed curlew , ferruginous hawk , McCown's longspur , Brewer's sparrow , upland sandpiper , Baird's sparrow , Sprague's pipit , grasshopper sparrow , western meadowlark , golden eagle , and
1280-632: Is in Saskatchewan and follows the course of the South Saskatchewan River from the Alberta / Saskatchewan border east to the Lancer Ferry crossing and includes the river's valley and the fork with the Red Deer River . The site covers an area of 208.6 km (129.6 mi). The valley floor is heavily wooded and includes trees such as the eastern cottonwood , Manitoba maple , peach-leaved willow , and the green ash . Birds found at
1344-493: 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 of Southern Alberta. The Shannon House is a historical landmark built in 1906 by James Shannon for his wife and nine children. He had purchased the land and a team of horses for $ 40.00 in 1895. The family kept the property for three generations, using part of it as
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#17328022071591408-490: Is served by the Medicine Hat Airport and Medicine Hat Transit . Acute medical care is provided to residents at Medicine Hat Regional Hospital . Beginning in 2009, several ICT business leaders began working together to facilitate economic growth and diversify the local economy by building a robust community network based on fibre optic technologies. Medicine Hat School District No. 76 has been serving
1472-590: 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 South Ridge 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
1536-455: Is the largest indoor multi-purpose sports facility in the city. The building is 90,000 sq ft (8,000 m ) and is sited on 0.23 km (57 acres) in the north end of the city. The facility includes an Olympic-sized ice rink, 50 m (160 ft) pool, waterslide, diving platforms, kiddies pool, wave pool, and cafe. It is being renovated to include an indoor soccer facility, track, and improved fitness centre. These will almost double
1600-501: The Canadian Heraldic Authority . Alberta Transportation is currently negotiating with landowners south of the city to secure land for the future Highway 1 (Trans-Canada Highway) bypass. The bypass is expected to be constructed in the next 10–20 years. The city owns the gas production, gas distribution, electric generation and electric distribution utilities that serve the citizens. The city-owned gas utility
1664-477: The First Nations legends. As growth took place, in 1889 Medicine Hat built the first hospital west of Winnipeg . The CPR established this town as a railway divisional point . The frontier settlement was incorporated as a town on October 31, 1898. In 1905 when the province of Alberta was founded, it took in Medicine Hat, which had formerly been in the district of Assiniboia. Medicine Hat was incorporated as
1728-629: The International Education Association of Western Canada , to operate an international educational program in China and three schools have joined this program, Tangshan Caofeidian #2 School, Qinhuangdao Foreign Language School, and Shandong Weifang Middle School. South Saskatchewan River The South Saskatchewan River is a major river in the Canadian provinces of Alberta and Saskatchewan . The river begins at
1792-606: The Medalta Potteries and Hycroft China Factory Complexes as the focal points of the 0.6 km (150-acre) district. It offers guided tours, educational and arts programming, as well as experience through collections, exhibits, and interpretation. This nationally recognized industrial historic district is a cultural initiative of the Friends of Medalta Society with federal, provincial, municipal and private support. They are working to restore, preserve and culturally develop
1856-749: The Rocky Mountains near the British Columbia and Montana border. Glacier and snowmelt from the Rocky Mountains and foothills contributes nearly 90% of the annual flow, with most of that contribution during July and August. The Red Deer River is a major tributary of the South Saskatchewan merging 16 kilometres (10 mi) east of the Alberta-Saskatchewan border. The Lake Diefenbaker reservoir
1920-510: The United Conservative Party (UCP), while the other one is named Brooks-Medicine Hat , and is represented by Danielle Smith of the United Conservative Party . The Medicine Hat Police Service (MHPS) can trace its history back to January 13, 1899. Among concern by the town council that the five North-West Mounted Police could no longer safely protect the town and the district, council passed By-Law 8, which authorized
1984-462: The prairie falcon . Besides the aforementioned birds, the habitat is also important for several animals, including the mule deer , pronghone antelope , Ord's kangaroo rat , pygmy short-horned lizard , western hognosed snake , and the prairie rattlesnake . The South Saskatchewan River (Empress to Lancer Ferry) (SK 046) IBA ( 50°56′09″N 109°52′06″W / 50.9359°N 109.8682°W / 50.9359; -109.8682 )
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2048-472: The 1880s), to name a few. Friends of Medalta is a non-profit that has been formed to preserve some of the city's industrial heritage. [1] The Medicine Hat landscape is dominated by the South Saskatchewan River valley. In addition, the tributaries Seven Persons Creek and Ross Creek both flow into the South Saskatchewan River within the boundaries of the city. These waterways have cut a dramatic valley landscape with numerous cliffs, and finger coulees throughout
2112-434: The 2021 census. Other common mother tongues were German (1.3%), Tagalog (1.0%), French (0.9%), Spanish (0.9%), Arabic (0.6%), and Chinese languages (0.5%). 52.8% of residents identified as Christian at the time of the 2021 census, down from 68.1% in 2011. 20.7% were Catholic , 16.6% were Protestant , 9.0% were Christian n.o.s.. Other Christian denominations and Christian-related traditions accounted for 6.5% of
2176-614: The Hillside Campsite, where two layers of finds were made. The upper layer had artifacts from the Old Women's Phase, but the lower layers were found to be much older, containing Pelican Lake Phase remains that were dated to between 1000 and 1500 BC. In 1883, when the Canadian Pacific Railway (CPR) reached Medicine Hat and crossed the river, European Canadians established a town site. They named it from
2240-598: The Medicine Hat Clay Industries National Historic District for education and public enjoyment. 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 Family Leisure Centre (now called Big Marble Go Centre)
2304-644: The Medicine Hat Tigers. He played in 1971–1972 and scored 50 goals and assisted on 64 goals. In 1972–1973 seasons he scored 62 goals and 77 assists. They play at Co-op Place which opened in 2015 and replaced the 40-year-old Medicine Hat Arena . The city is also home to the Medicine Hat Mavericks, a summer collegiate baseball team in the Western Canadian Baseball League (WCBL). Established in 2003,
2368-713: The Red Deer River; the Bassano Dam and 11 other dams divert water on the Bow River and in the Bow River basin; and the Oldman River Dam and Waterton-St. Mary Headworks System manage water flow downstream of the Oldman River. The proposed Meridian dam 30 kilometres (19 mi) west of Leader and 95 kilometres (59 mi) north east of Medicine Hat was cancelled due to project costs outweighing
2432-629: The Saskatchewan River. For approximately 60 kilometres (37 mi) near Saskatoon, the Meewasin Valley Authority is responsible for conservation of the river environment. Numerous lakes in the Saskatoon area were formed by oxbows of the South Saskatchewan River, most notably Moon Lake and Pike Lake . A 2009 report, produced by WWF-Canada which analysed the river flow on ten major Canadian rivers reported that
2496-430: The South Saskatchewan River was the most at risk. Climate change , agricultural and urban infrastructure water use, and dams producing hydroelectricity , have all combined to reduce the flow of the South Saskatchewan River by 70 percent. Developers and governments have been cautioned to protect and restore the river with sustainable projects and limit water diversion. Dickson Dam regulates water supply downstream on
2560-430: The cheap and plentiful energy resources. Coal mines, brick works, pottery and glass bottle manufacturing plants, flour mills, etc. became established. Altaglass, an art and functional glass production company operated in Medicine Hat from 1950 to 1988. With transportation access via the railway and river, the town became a service and trade center for the agriculture and its products, both commodity crops and livestock, of
2624-405: The city's northwest boundary) and the hamlets of Desert Blume , Dunmore , Irvine , Seven Persons , and Veinerville . The Cypress Hills (including Cypress Hills Interprovincial Park ) is a relatively short distance (by car) to the southeast of the city. Historically, Medicine Hat has been known for its large natural gas fields, being immortalized by Rudyard Kipling as having "all hell for
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2688-515: The city. Beyond the city and river valley, the land is flat to slightly rolling and is characterized by short-grass vegetation. Located about 40 km (25 mi) to the east at 50°0′38.2″N 110°6′48.3″W / 50.010611°N 110.113417°W / 50.010611; -110.113417 ( Badlands Guardian ) lies the Badlands Guardian Geological Feature . It is a landscape formation taking
2752-775: The confluence of the Bow and Oldman Rivers in southern Alberta and ends at the Saskatchewan River Forks in central Saskatchewan. The Saskatchewan River Forks is the confluence of the South and North Saskatchewan Rivers and is the beginning of the Saskatchewan River . For the first half of the 20th century, the South Saskatchewan would completely freeze over during winter, creating spectacular ice breaks and dangerous conditions in Saskatoon , Medicine Hat , and elsewhere. At least one bridge in Saskatoon
2816-497: The devastating 2013 Southern Alberta floods Finlay Bridge was closed amid fears that flood waters could reach and damage the structure. Medicine Hat was almost "split in two" for the first time in over a hundred years as all major bridges connecting the north to the south were scheduled to be shut down due to the historic flooding of 2013. This article about a specific bridge in Canada is a stub . You can help Misplaced Pages by expanding it . Medicine Hat, Alberta Medicine Hat
2880-469: The form of a head wearing a feathered headdress. The head is 1,000 ft (300 m) wide. It is in inverse relief, formed by valleys rather than raised ground. The antipodal point of Medicine Hat is near Port-aux-Francais (Kerguelen Island) in the middle of the Indian Ocean, and so this region is one of the rare places of Canada whose antipodal point is neither in the water of the Indian Ocean nor in
2944-555: The ice of Antarctica (see www.antipodesmap.com) During the 2013 Alberta floods Medicine Hat, located on the South Saskatchewan River downstream from the confluence of the Bow and Oldman Rivers was hit with significant flooding. The city evacuated 10,000 residents ahead of the flooding, and facilities including the Medicine Hat Arena had begun to flood late Sunday evening, June 23. The South Saskatchewan River peaked at 5,460 m /s (193,000 cu ft/s), which
3008-438: The irrigation benefits. The following are the tributaries of the South Saskatchewan River from its source to its mouth: The following is a list of named islands in the South Saskatchewan River from its source to its mouth: Sections of the riverbank along the South Saskatchewan River are prone to slumping . Since its founding, the city of Saskatoon has dealt with a number of slope failures. Controlling riverbank development
3072-480: The late spring and early summer. The highest temperature ever recorded in Medicine Hat was 42.2 °C (108.0 °F) on July 12, 1886. The coldest temperature ever recorded was −46.1 °C (−51.0 °F) on February 4, 1887. In the 2021 Census of Population conducted by Statistics Canada , the City of Medicine Hat had a population of 63,271 living in 27,216 of its 28,732 total private dwellings, virtually unchanged from its 2016 population of 63,260. With
3136-410: The needs of public school students since it came into existence in 1886. The district has five trustees and comprises three secondary schools, Alexandra Middle School (formerly Alexandra Junior High School), Crescent Heights High School and Medicine Hat High School , 12 elementary (K–6) schools, a special needs school for the severely disabled, as well as an Alternative School program which incorporates
3200-427: The population, including Latter Day Saints followers at 1.6%. Non-religious and secular residents accounted for 43.1% of the population, up from 30.2% in 2011. 4.1% of residents belonged to other religions, up from 1.7% in 2011. The largest non-Christian religions were Islam (1.5%), Sikhism (0.5%) and Hinduism (0.5%). The Medicine Hat Clay Industries National Historic District is a living, working museum based on
3264-425: The post-war period that the town again had commercial growth. In the 21st century, Medicine Hat promotes its quality of life and affordable cost of living, enjoying the savings of a city-owned gas utility and power generation plant. Major industries have included chemical plants, a Goodyear tire and rubber plant, greenhouses, numerous oil and gas related companies, a foundry, I-XL Industries (a brickworks dating from
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#17328022071593328-614: The size of the facility. In the area surrounding the Leisure Centre facility are several other sportvenues including; four ball diamonds, lighted football field, three soccer pitches, and one of the largest BMX racing facilities in Southern Alberta. 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
3392-513: The surrounding area. Between 1909 and 1914 the town had an economic boom that increased the population to more than 10,000. Little growth occurred between the World Wars. During World War II, one of the largest prisoner-of-war camps (POW) in Canada was established here in January 1943 and was used primarily to hold German and Italian prisoners until April 1946. It was not until the 1950s of
3456-624: The team plays at Athletic Park stadium, formerly home to the Medicine Hat Blue Jays , in the River Flats neighbourhood adjacent to downtown. In 2012 the riding of Medicine Hat was renamed to Medicine Hat—Cardston—Warner . Jim Hillyer of the Conservative Party of Canada (CPC) was elected in the 2015 election . Hillyer died in 2016 and in a special by-election , held on October 24, 2016, Glen Motz (CPC)
3520-464: The teepee painted "white for purity, red for the rising and setting sun, and blue for flowing waters". Within the teepee are ten circles, with painted illustrations that express ideas about the cultures of the Plains tribes. Explanation are on plaques set in the base. Although designed to withstand extreme temperatures and winds up to 240 km/h (150 mph), during a severe windstorm in January 2007,
3584-428: The waterways and hunted the bison. Before Europeans arrived, the historic Blackfoot, Cree and Assiniboine nations used the area for hundreds of years, and were preceded for thousands of years by previous indigenous cultures. Beginning in 1971, archeological excavations supervised by scholars from Medicine Hat College (MHC) were conducted at what became known as Saamis Archeological Site along Seven Persons Creek, near
3648-527: The winter cold is ameliorated by mild and dry Chinook winds blowing from the west, and hot summer daytime temperatures are made more tolerable by low humidity and rapid cooling in the evening. As Medicine Hat receives less precipitation annually than most other cities on the Canadian Prairies and plentiful sunshine (it is widely known as "The sunniest city in Canada"), it is a popular retirement city. Maximum precipitation typically occurs in
3712-472: Was a factor in establishing the Meewasin Valley Authority in 1979. There are four Important Bird Areas (IBA) of Canada along the South Saskatchewan River. Two – Galloway and Miry Bay (SK006) and East Lake Diefenbaker (SK055) – are located at Lake Diefenbaker and the other two are farther upstream along the river's course. Suffield (AB 007) ( 50°27′54″N 110°31′59″W / 50.4651°N 110.5331°W / 50.4651; -110.5331 )
3776-479: Was based there. They "excavated and mapped over 3,200 sq. ft. of living floors and nearly 80 features including hearths and stone boiling pits. Radiocarbon dates indicate the Saamis Site was initially occupied about AD 1500 and again around AD 1750", well before most European contact. Also in this area, further to the west, other MHC students and faculty were part of an excavation in 2000 at what became known as
3840-446: Was below earlier predictions of 6,000 m /s (210,000 cu ft/s), but exceeded the highest recorded rate of 5,100 m /s (180,000 cu ft/s) in 1995. The average home price in Medicine Hat in 2018 was $ 277,294. Located in the steppe region known as Palliser's Triangle , Medicine Hat has a semi-arid climate ( Köppen climate classification BSk ), with cold winters, and warm to hot, dry summers. Frequently,
3904-619: Was created with the construction of the Gardiner and Qu'Appelle River dams in Saskatchewan . Water from the South Saskatchewan flowing through the dams provides approximately 19 percent of the hydro-electricity generated by SaskPower. Downstream from the dam the river flows north through Saskatoon and joins the North Saskatchewan River east of Prince Albert at the Saskatchewan River Forks — thus forming
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#17328022071593968-687: Was destroyed by ice carried by the river. The construction of the Gardiner Dam in the 1960s, however, lessened the power of the river by diverting a substantial portion of the South Saskatchewan's natural flow into the Qu'Appelle River . By the 1980s many permanent sandbars had formed due to the lowering of the level of the river. From the headwaters of the Bow River, the South Saskatchewan flows for 1,392 kilometres (865 mi). At its mouth at Saskatchewan River Forks , it has an average discharge of 280 cubic metres per second (9,900 cu ft/s) and has
4032-563: Was elected. LaVar Payne (CPC) was the Member of Parliament for Medicine Hat since October 2008 , and was re-elected in the 2011 election . He announced in 2014 that he would not be running in the next election in October 2015. Previous to Payne the MP was Monte Solberg (CPC). Medicine Hat has two provincial ridings. One is named Cypress-Medicine Hat , and is represented by Justin Wright of
4096-643: Was installed in 1991 south of the Trans-Canada Highway and at the edge of the Blackfoot buffalo jump , above the Saamis Archeological Site along Seven Persons Creek. Commissioned for the 1988 Winter Olympics in Calgary as a symbol of Canada's Plains Indians, it stood 215 ft (66 m) high (more than 20 storeys) and is 160 ft (49 m) in diameter at the base. The sculpture was designed by Steve Illes of steel and concrete. He had
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