Medicine Hat city council will consider several items at its regular public meeting Monday evening. File Photo/CHAT News

By Eli J. Ridder

CITY HALL

Medicine Hat Stampede to make pitch, council to consider escort bylaw

Nov 4, 2024 | 7:15 AM

Two interest groups are presenting with the hope of financial support and proposed changes to the city’s escort bylaw will come forward for a decision during Medicine Hat council’s regular public meeting on Monday evening.

The Medicine Hat Exhibition and Stampede will give an updated presentation on its $39-million revitalization project.

The project in its preferred form would include a new north grandstand, upgrades to the south grandstand, the creation of an atrium and a deck addition.

The north grandstand was built in 1966 and the south grandstand was completed in 1979. The Stampede has said the seating areas need to be revitalized.

The proposed plans would expand the grandstand area to roughly 5,000 seats, an upgrade from the 4,200 seats that are currently available.

SMILE SUNDAYS

Dr. Ken Sauer School receives donation from namesake

7h ago

WHAT'S ON

Tigers championship dreams, Spectrum: Here is what's on this weekend in Medicine Hat

May 31, 2025

IN THE COMMUNITY

Shoreline litter picking party to support watershed health in Medicine Hat

May 30, 2025

The organization has proposed the city and Alberta each cover 40 per cent in the form of a grant, with the remainder coming in as an interest-free loan from Medicine Hat.

Stampede officials gave a presentation to city council over a year ago on the benefits of the project that was first revealed over two years prior.

Before the Stampede’s delegation on Monday, the Medicine Hat Women’s Shelter Society will give a presentation on Family Violence Prevention Month.

The society kicked off the provincially-recognized cause by organizing a community walk to hang purple ribbons to honour and remember those impacted by family violence on Friday, just the first of several events planned for the month of November.

Executive Director Natasha Carvalho told CHAT News on Friday the shelter society hopes to secure additional financial support from the City of Medicine Hat amid an expansion project.

Both the Stampede and women’s shelter items are presentations and therefore only for information.

Council will consider proposed changes to the escort bylaw that could see license fees cut over half and define the what activities are covered.

If passed, the refreshed bylaw would drop fees for an escort agency from the current $5,000 to $1,800 for a resident and $2,400 for a non-resident.

File/City of Medicine Hat

A local independent agency would have to pay $750 and a non-resident would pay $1,200. An individual escort would be $125 for a resident and $180 for a non-resident.

Administrative staff have consulted with Medicine Hat Police Service and the city’s lawyer for work out the proposal. They’ve also spoken with escort service agencies, according to a staff report.

The escort rule changes — Bylaw 4793 — are up for first reading.

There’s also an enterprise risk management policy up for consideration and a public hearing for a rezoning on Second Street Southwest.

The full city council agenda can viewed online. The meeting begins at 6:30 p.m. and can be watched in-person at city hall or online via the City of Medicine Hat’s YouTube’s channel.

— with files from Brian Konrad