(Tiffany Goodwein/CHATNewsToday)

By Tiffany Goodwein

Great Big Paddle sees record turn-out

Jul 10, 2021 | 8:05 PM

MEDICINE HAT, AB – The paddles were out on Saturday at the sixth annual Great Big Paddle event jointly sponsored by the Medicine Hat Paddling Club and Tourism Medicine Hat.

A record-breaking number of people took to the water. The Great Big Paddle is one of the first big events in the city, since COVID-19 restrictions were lifted, according to event officials. Kicking off at noon, kayaks, paddleboards, and even floaties painted the South Saskatchewan River as participants embarked on a two to three-and-a-half-hour paddle from Echo Dale to Strathcona Island Park.

“The best we ever had before was 134 participants. This year we have about 260 to 270 participants,” said Rick Redmond of the Medicine Hat Paddling Club.

Redmond suspects the high turnout relates to many people wanting to take in the great outdoors.

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“Medicine Hat is a real waterfront community. We’ve got a phenomenal river through Medicine Hat for paddling, and of course, coming out of COVID-19 everyone wants to come out and enjoy nature,” Redmond said.

And inch by inch, with a push of a paddle the region’s natural beauty, becomes all-consuming.

“We have all the beavers and foxes, and we see deer through town. We see the big Red cliff which Redcliff is named after, and we see all the clay faces after the Red cliff, and you can only do that from the waterfront,” Redmond said.

To keep the high number of participants safe while on the water South Eastern Alberta Search and Rescue along with the Medicine Hat Fire Service attended as a precaution.