Transportation Master Plan Hearing Expected to Be Lively

A woman pushes a stroller while a child rides a bicycle along one of the city’s multi-use trails. (Photo Alex McCuaig)

The city’s Transportation Master Plan reflects council’s vision for a safe and equitable environment regardless of mode of transit, Medicine Hat’s Development and Infrastructure Committee heard Thursday.

“I just want to reiterate that the (Transportation Master Plan’s) strategies are driven and aligned with previous and current council direction. This is truly council’s vision come to life,” said Stan Nowakowski, director of Municipal Works.

Nowakowski stressed it is council’s vision to provide a transportation network which works for all Hatters while accommodating new vehicles such as e-bikes and scooters not foreseen by previous plans.

“The key words here are safe and equitable,” Nowakowski told the committee. “Everybody wants to feel safe and have equitable opportunities to travel in the manner they wish no matter where they are travelling.”

But signs are pointing to a contentious debate over the city’s Transportation Master Plan as the document is heading to a public hearing on Monday with several dozen Hatters anticipated to present.

A dog walker utilizing a multi-use trail.

The plan was initiated in December 2022 as part of a $500,000 budget for a trio of plans. Those included a Roadway Master Plan update, Transportation Safety Plan and an Active Transportation Plan budgeted for 2023.

The draft plan was unveiled early this year following more than two years in development.

But backlash following the redevelopment of Division Avenue south has been pervasive with no shortage of members of the community linking that project with the principles outlined in the Transportation Master Plan.

That work on Division replaced underutilized parking spots with a multi-use trail resulted in push back from residents concerning the city’s direction.

During Thursday’s meeting, staff tried to explain to the committee’s council members the driving lane of Division Avenue has not been narrowed, only the portion of the road meant for parking was redeveloped.

“Parking was not in demand there, so we changed that,” said Sandeep Pareek, manager of engineering. “The driving lanes are the same width as they have to be. It is just that the parking lanes which are there were never used or underutilized. Putting in infrastructure that is not used is not a good idea in terms of long-term lifecycle costs.”

Committee chair Coun. Shila Sharps responded, “you know what, you guys do you come Monday.”

Sharps outlined her concerns regarding consultations regarding the Transportation Master Plan citing her own observations at a Municipal Mingle where several city initiatives were being presented publicly for feedback.

“There is a planner telling this community member this is not the place to have your conversations and opinions. You can send me an email,” recounted Sharps of what she personally witnessed.

Sharps went on to recount another incident in which a staff member at a public consultation session was telling community members that council doesn’t understand their job.

“We send them to a mingle, (staff) didn’t hear them. They come to council and then they are told by a staff member not to listen to council. So, what we are seeing is a result of all of that,” said Sharps.

A cross section of the proposed Third Street north redevelopment. (Image courtesy of the City of Medicine Hat)

A redevelopment plan for Third Street north has also become an issue of contention. That plan would incorporate a multi-use trail along the roadway which is up for redevelopment and was included in the city’s latest budget. That project has also received federal funding specifically for incorporation of the pathway.

Speeding along the stretch of Third Street has been a concern of residents who live on the roadway, said Pareek, citing previous reports the city conducted a decade ago.

Sharps warned staff to expect an earful from presenters on the proposed redevelopment plan.

Coun. Alison Van Dyke said there was a deliberate effort being made to spread incorrect information in the community concerning the Transportation Master Plan.

“There is fairly significant misinformation and intentional disinformation happening in the community around both of these things,” said Van Dyke, though, she didn’t cite examples of either nor the source.

But she added the public hearing is about the Master Transportation Plan not specific projects which seek to achieve its goals or corridors identified as priorities.

“I think that needs to be made clear,” said Van Dyke regarding staff’s presentation at Monday’s public hearing.

She added that she has been directing concerned community members to city resources regarding the Master Transportation Plan and projects which fit into it.

“But I’m not really sure how we get that information out any better than we are,” said Van Dyke.

The Transportation Safety Plan was initially envisioned to be presented by the end of 2023 with the Active Transportation plan presented by the end of 2024 with a Roadway Master Plan rounding out the trio of strategies, according to budget documents from 2022.

Trevor Knickerson navigates his mobility scooter along Southview Drive in January near where an 82-year-old pedestrian was killed in 2024 after being struck by a vehicle. He said he hopes the city will make accessibility a priority in the area densely populated by assisted living and seniors residences, many of who utilize transportation methods outside of cars. (Photo Alex McCuaig)

In July 2023, city officials amalgamated those trio of plans into the Transportation Master Plan, envisioning an outlook for development of a roads, paths and sidewalks for the next quarter century. Parameters of the plan would be linked to the city’s overall strategy for development outlined in the city’s municipal development plan – known as the myMH Master Plan.

In early 2024, city officials launched a survey of residents in which reducing congestion and addressing safety intersections while enhancing such crossings ranked as the top issues amongst the 750 respondents.

Last year and for much of 2025, an estimated $1.2 million trail extension to Canyon Creek/Heron Crossing neighbourhoods dominated the active transportation debate regarding specific projects.

None of the residents of those neighbourhoods took part in the Transportation Master Plan survey.

Staff have also recommended against building the extension noting it is far down the priority list compared with other projects which would improve safety concerns for significantly larger numbers of Hatters.

Despite both internal and external questioning of the unbudgeted allocation for the build out of the trail, the city is continuing to seek options for its completion including partnering with Cypress County.

The public hearing on the Transportation Master Plan will take place Monday at City Hall starting at 6:30 pm.