Moose and Squirrel has been forced to list their business. Adrian St.Onge/CHAT News

By Adrian St.Onge

‘City has turned its back’: Medicine Hat businesses forced to close or sell amid construction

Jul 26, 2024 | 5:03 PM

Several Medicine Hat businesses are closing, listed for sale or under theat as a consequence of construction projects underway across the city.

While many business owners acknowledged replacing aging infrastructure is necessary, those like Carrie Dhensaw said they’ve been forced to list their businesses and look for other work.

“We’ve listed the business for sale,” Dhensaw, owner of Moose and Squirrel Bistro, said.

“Unfortunately, there’s just been too much of a decline in foot traffic in the downtown core this year to recover.”

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Moose and Squirrel hasn’t been the only business impacted.

Construction has been a thorn in the side of businesses. Adrian St.Onge/CHAT News

Isaac’s Barbershop, Cafe Verv and Mexican Hat have all been listed or have signs showing closures.

Casa Amigos manager Christina Carry said the community has helped them stay afloat but the cost of construction has been immense.

“It’s affected us quite a bit. I’d say we’re down about 35 to 40 per cent of what our projections were,” Carry said.

“We have a lot of regulars and supporters and people that have been coming down, but still I think a lot of Medicine Hat is avoiding the downtown area.”

The City of Medicine Hat said that it understood the impact construction has on businesses and has offered several measures to accomodate the inconvenience.

Some of the measures the city has offered has included dedicated parking, free opportunities to attend block parties and cost-sharing for advertising on television, radio and print.

Still, more needs to be done to salvage the downtown core, argued Dhensaw.

Third street is still under major construction. Adrian St.Onge/CHAT News

“I feel like the city’s turned their back on the downtown and any work that had been done previously to revitalize it. It just isn’t a priority for them,” Dhensaw said.

“I know that construction is a priority and I get that the construction needed to get done and there’s nothing they can do about that. But I think at this point they’re kind of like ‘hey we told you there’s nothing we can do so we’re doing our best,'” she added.

“I don’t feel that they are.”

While construction was a driving cause, businesses also cited inflation, high rental costs and less disposable income as contributing factors to their decisions to close or go on temporary hiatus.

The intersection at Fifth Avenue and Third Street re-opened earlier on Friday. Construction from Fifth Avenue to Sixth Avenue, including the intersection, having begun earlier this week.