Recreation

Community lifestyle is one of the most important factors when considering a move.

Sports, recreation, community involvement, cultural events, hospitality, and safety are just a few of the many reasons why people choose south east Alberta as a excellent place to live.

Medicine Hat residents have more recreational facilities per capita than most other cities in Canada. We offer superior recreational facilities, more than 92 kilometres (57 miles) of hiking/biking trails and 250 hectares of parks. There are six first-class golf courses, three indoor and four outdoor pools, six indoor ice arena's, indoor and outdoor waterslides, soccer fields, baseball diamonds, tennis courts, skateboard park and BMX track. If you enjoy ice, water or sun, there's a sport for every season.

Major parks in Medicine Hat include Echo Dale Park Regional Park [650 acre park with man-made swimming lake and boating lake], Strathcona Island Park [100 acre park designed for family activities], Police Point Park [400 acre natural woodland park], and Kin Coulee Park [100 acre park designed for family activities].

The newest addition to Medicine Hat's numerous leisure and recreational facilities is the South Ridge Recreation and Wellness Centre. The Centre opened its doors in 2004 and was made possible by a five-party agreement involving the Family YMCA, Medicine Hat Catholic Board of Education, The Medicine Hat School District #76, Southridge Community Association and the City of Medicine Hat. The centre has a mulit-purpose room for classes and/or meetings, weight room, walking/running track, cardio workout room and field house gymnasium.

The Medicine Hat Family Leisure Centre is located on 23 hectares (57 acres) in the northwest part of the city. The $17.3 million state of the art facility includes a 50 metre multipurpose pool, a wave pool, swirl pool, children's pool, steam room and the "Rip-n-Rattler" water slide. Located in the same building is a 100' x 200' ice surface (hockey rink) along with a variety of meeting rooms, entertainment rooms and food concession. Outside activities have not been forgotten at the Centre as it boasts three regulation size soccer pitches, one premier (lighted) sports field for football/soccer/rugby and four high quality ball diamonds.

For the avid hockey sports fan, Medicine Hat is home to the Medicine Hat Tigers of the Western Canada Junior Hockey League.

Three private campgrounds and one municipally operated campground provide a full range of facilities (224 camping sites). All of the campgrounds offer access to the regional trail system, the Trans-Canada Highway (Highway 1) and Highway #3 providing visitors with safe and easy access to many of the city's major parks, attractions and businesses.

Medicine Hat is 45 minutes from Cypress Hills Provincial Park. Cypress Hills is one of the few areas in the southeast untouched by the glacial period. The Park offers superb recreational amenities including boating, hiking and skiing. The park is a great place to spend a weekend camping!

Community Organizations
With over 312 organizations in Medicine Hat, there is a club to interest everyone. For more information, please refer to the Southeast Alberta Regional Directory, which lists contact names, meeting times and fees for every organization in Medicine Hat. Visit the City of Medicine Hat's website at www.medicinehat.ca and follow the links under City Services/Community Development/Communiry Organizations, or call the City of Medicine Hat Community Development Department at (403) 529-8311 for a copy.

Religious Facilities
There are more than 40 places of worship in Medicine Hat, covering most denominations.

Special Annual Events & Attractions
The Esplanade Arts and Heritage Centre, a multi-million dollar project, officially opened its doors on October 22, 2005. The Esplanade brings together our museum, archives and art gallery, as well as adds a new performing arts theatre and discovery centre all under one roof. The Esplanade is a place for everyone - a community centre at the centre of the community - where we celebrate and showcase the spirit of Medicine Hat.

The award-winning Medicine Hat Cultural Centre, located on the Medicine Hat College campus, houses the College's Conservatory of Music and Dance for students of all ages. The facility provides teaching and studio space for visual artists and rehearsal and performance space for dance and theatre groups hosted by community cultural organizations. Programs offered by the City in the arts and crafts are available to the entire community.

Downtown Medicine Hat's symbol of progress and efficiency, the award-winning City Hall, embodies a startling architectural style complete with a myriad of windows letting in the Southern Alberta sunshine. City Hall is home to a brick mural by local artist James Marshall which depicts one of the legends of Medicine Hat.

The Police Point Nature Centre is located in a nature reserve and offers interpretive programs which explore the natural and historical aspects of the South Saskatchewan River Basin.

The Medicine Hat Public Library also hosts art exhibits, concerts and public seminars. Other attractions in Medicine Hat include the Connaught Golf Club, Medicine Hat Golf and Country Club, Cottonwood Coulee Golf Course, Downtown Historic Tour, Saamis TePee, Gas City Campground, Wild Rose Campground, Medicine Hat Exhibition and Stampede Grounds, and waterslides.

Annual Events

• The Spectrum Festival - June
• Canada Day Celebration - July 1
• Home & Garden Tradeshow - March
• Medicine Hat Exhibition & Stampede - July/August
• Medicine Hat Indoor Pro Rodeo
• Medicine Hat College Rattler Run
• YMCA Fun Run
• Christmas Craft Tradeshow - November

Annual Cultural Events

• Jazz Festival - June
• Junior Strings Camp
• Rotary Music Festival - March
• One Act Play Festival
• Musical Theatre
• Craft Co-Mingle - November
• Artisan's Fair - September

Hospitality
Nightlife, dining and shopping are other great traditional activities that are widely enjoyed. Medicine Hat also has 3 shopping malls: the Medicine Hat Mall, South View Centre and the Medicine Hat Co-op Mall. The City also has several power centres such as the Real Canadian Superstore, Wal-Mart, London Drugs, Winners, The Bay, Sears, Zellers, Canadian Tire, SportCheck, Home Depot, Totem Building Supplies, Leons Furniture, Rona Home Centres and Staples.

Medicine Hat has a healthy, safe and energetic downtown with over 200 businesses and services including jewellers, clothing stores, legal and accounting professionals, drugstores, movie theatres and many fine restaurants and hotels. Downtown Medicine Hat has maintained its historic charm with antique gas lamps and brick sidewalks. The beautiful downtown district is attractive to customers whose patronage keeps the downtown shops thriving.

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