Photo courtesy of Colton McKee

By Scott Roblin

Go-Kart Track

Summer go-kart track opens for racers at Medicine Hat Lodge

Aug 13, 2020 | 4:58 PM

MEDICINE HAT, AB – Amid all the shutdowns and cancellations that COVID-19 has brought this summer, a new attraction has been set up in a parking lot just off the Trans-Canada Highway.

There was plenty of speed and excitement at the Medicine Hat Lodge on Thursday with the opening of their new go-kart track.

The track has been over two months in the making for the Medicine Hat Lodge, who have been looking for a way to bring back some fun to the area in a difficult summer for many.

“We were kind of brainstorming as a group with our ownership of what can we do for our guests that allows them to have more activities while on the property because at that point we didn’t have pools open and whatnot,” said sales manager Jill Scherer.

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Partnering with ‘Play Go Karts’ for the project, the track is made up of dozens of tires bolted together with three single and three double karts available.

Users are able to book out the track for five-minute sessions at $10 each, with the registration process taking place at the front desk of the hotel.

The Lodge initially let the public know about the track earlier this week during the planning stages and say they’ve received plenty of feedback from interested racers.

“It’s really exciting to see it finally come together and see everybody’s reaction,” said Scherer. “We posted it on social media and we got an amazing reaction from everybody in Medicine Hat. So, it gives us an idea that people really wanted this and are excited about it.”

Over the first two hours of opening on Thursday, track staff say they saw about 15 racers use the track for the first time.

Children under the age of 10 will not be allowed to drive the karts, however they will be able to ride with an adult at no additional charge.

The track is the first of its kind within the city limits, joining the go-kart track just outside of town at Dunmore Dugout.

Bringing a new activity into Medicine Hat is something that Scherer said was important this summer, especially with how many people are choosing to vacation at home due to the pandemic.

“The kids here that are manning the track, they love it,” said Scherer. “Everybody that has been here so far has left smiling, so I think that it’s an exciting opportunity for the community.”

The track will be open seven days a week between 11:00 am and 7:00 pm for the remainder of August before the Lodge re-evaluates the hours, while the track will be used every year moving forward.