Members of the public gallery gives approval after a speaker criticized the Transportation Master Plan during a public hearing on July 7, 2025. Eli J. Ridder/CHAT News

By Olivia Thorington

CITY HALL

Residents pack council chamber largely to oppose Medicine Hat’s proposed transportation plan

Jul 8, 2025 | 1:00 AM

Many residents opposed to a draft plan for Medicine Hat’s roads and pathways made up the majority of those who filled the public gallery Monday as council provided an opportunity for its taxpayers to speak on the blueprint.

The 85-page urban planning document lays out a case for improving active transportation options through the expansion of sidewalks and through traffic-calming methods like bump-outs that narrow intersections.

Over a dozen people who spoke against the Transportation Master Plan said it doesn’t reflect the reality that most residents get around by vehicle and not by walking or on a bicycle, scooter or other active methods.

The plan will return to council at its next meeting for a final vote. At that time, members of council could propose changes.

City engineer Stan Nowakowski said at the outset of the public hearing that the document is broad and avoids diving into specifics on certain projects.

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In response to questioning from Coun. Shila Sharps, Nowakowki confirmed future projects aim to update roads to match modern traffic-calming standards.

“Wider roads induce speeding behaviours in drivers,” Nowakowski said, to booing from the public gallery.

He spoke about other aspects, including bump-outs created by concrete sidewalks.

Nowakowski denied there are any plans to create a so-called “15-minute city,” as some critics of the document have said is the aim.

Coun. Cassi Hider asked Nowakowski about proposed road narrowing for Kingsway Avenue and if staff had “learned” from negative reaction to previous changes made to Division Avenue South.

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READ: Here’s what to know about Medicine Hat’s proposed transportation plan

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“I just hope that when we take into account these fancy roadways, that we really think about the City of Medicine Hat and not something we aspire to be,” Hider said to gallery applause.

Coun. Ramona Robins — who was chairing the meeting in place of the absent Mayor Linnsie Clark — called for calm several times.

Bike safety

The part of the hearing that allows for members of the public to speak got underway with a few people that spoke in favour of the transportation plan.

Carter Gramlich, co-chair of Bike Medicine Hat, urged council to vote in favour.

“Cars are and will continue to be the primary transportation mode in Medicine Hat, however our roads should be (not) just be designed for cars,” Gramlich said.

Tom James, who said he raised $1,500 for SickKids Toronto by cycling within city limits two years ago, said he has regularly experienced danger while biking.

“During the month of August 2023, there were only three days I did not feel my life was directly threatened by the use of the public road system with other traffic,” James said.

He called on council to make an evidence-based decision and avoid the sway of popular opinion.

“Can we please stick to the facts?” said Coun. Darren Hirsch after a tense exchange between an emotional resident and several councillors.

‘Not Medicine Hat’

Several residents who spoke out against the plan during Monday’s meeting said the plan didn’t seem to be made for Medicine Hat.

Bob Bourke, who works in real estate, said the plan doesn’t seem to fit a local approach.

“This plan is something that may work in parts of Europe or France but just not Medicine Hat,” he said.

Bourke, who drove the Sunshine Trolley tourism bus during the summer of 2023, said proposed “elephant ear” sidewalk bump-outs would make it more difficult for large vehicles to get around.

Bourke speaks during a public hearing held by Medicine Hat city council on July 7, 2025. Eli J. Ridder/CHAT News

“I respectfully ask you to ‘stay in your lane’ and put this nonsensical journey of creating a solution for a problem that doesn’t exist aside,” Bourke added.

Others complained about how the plan was created.

Greg Bueckert, a longtime resident of Medicine Hat, argued the plan was based on dubious methods because of low resident input.

“I don’t see the city described the way I see it,” Bueckert said, holding a printed copy of the transportation plan with several sticky notes.

He argued the biggest issue with the plan was not necessarily its contents but instead the process of how it was created.

“I just think the way it’s presented is wrong,” Bueckert added.

‘Erodes public trust’

Sabrina Moore, who owns a fitness centre downtown Medicine Hat, said her and many other residents don’t feel heard by city hall.

“The city often holds public engagement sessions, but I’ve been to several and can say with confidence these are often nothing more than box-checking exercises,” she told council.

“The decisions feel predetermined, regardless of what the community says. That isn’t consultation. That is theatre.”

Sharps asked Moore what else the city could do to improve community engagement.

Over 200 people piled into the council chamber for a public hearing on July 7, 2025. Eli J. Ridder/CHAT News

Moore responded by saying the city could try to get more public input earlier in a decision-making process.

Jane Hale, part of a family who opposed a proposed development in the Riverside neighbourhood, said council should change how it consults on big items like master plans.

“I respectfully request that our council consider revising the engagement process to allow for more opportunities for public input before decisions are made and to ensure that the community feedback is truly valued,” Hale said.

“I am confident that by working together we can create a more inclusive and transparent process that will help our community thrive and ensure that all of our voices are heard.”

Coun. Cassi Hider, responding to Hale, said the city does have room to improve.

“We need to be better for us, we need to be better as an organization,” Hider said.

Hearing was needed: Sharps

Coun. Sharps, who was pushing for a public hearing on the transportation plan before council decided in May to hold one, said Monday’s meeting was proof it was essential to hear from residents.

“It’s nice to hear that everything that I heard tonight was exactly what I’ve been saying for the last year and I couldn’t get any motion on it,” Sharps told CHAT News.

“The only difference is I still do support multi-use pathways — I support them as part of the infrastructure so that our bikers are safe.”

The councillor, who was the most vocal member of council during the hearing, said some of the sidewalk pathway dimensions were too excessive.

“Two feet, three feet, whatever that looks like is just fine,” Sharps said.

She said many residents were more frustrated with the process of how city staff created the master plan compared to anger over specific design features.

Sharps said there is a disconnect between what city staff implement and what residents expect, and council is partly to blame for that — and is planning a motion to address the breakdown.

But she also defended the value of public hearings as a forum for open dialogue between taxpayers, their elected representatives and city staff.

“We are listening,” she said after Monday’s meeting.

“Did we get here fast enough? Hell no. But we’re here, so talk.”