WAYFINDING
Wayfinding features like signs and maps encourage walking, cycling, and public transportation use. It drives foot traffic to key city areas. And it encourages visitors to stay longer and return again. We can do better.
Driving around the city, I have noticed a lack of signs directing tourists to our attractions. How many times have you blown past the turn-off for Echo Dale?
The signs to get to Police Point Park are few and far between and not visible from most directions. I have nearly missed the turn-off numerous times and I have lived here for 25 years. Now imagine a tourist trying to find it.
The sign for the World's Largest Chess Set is set back from the street, you can't see it unless you are walking. I would love to see more signs, bigger signs so everyone can find their way.
DIVERSE OPINIONS MAKE FOR BETTER DECISIONS
I'm very excited with the makeup of our new council, the voters came through and elected 6 new faces. At least 2 of those faces have ties with the Old Guard so we cannot relax yet.
We had a number of business and finance people on city council in the past which is great— we do need some with that background. Now we have an actual business owner, younger people, people who have stood up and spoke out when they saw something wrong. That is fantastic, we cannot do business as usual in these unprecedented times.
Medicine Hat needs different points of view from people who have no investments, people who have had to struggle, who have had to watch every dime to feed the family, who don't go on vacation because they cannot afford it, people with no skin in the game. We are the experts on how to do more with less, to reduce, reuse, and re-purpose.
My background allows me to bring in a different point of view because of the fact I was NOT born and raised in this area. I have been here for over 30 years. I can tell you why I will never move back to the West Coast even when the temperatures reach 40 below; I can tell you what makes Medicine Hat more attractive to me than Calgary or Edmonton.
Two of my four children were born here, all four were raised here, two still live here as well as a bonus son from another mother and his family. They all have very different careers, they've travelled extensively and lived in various places. They provide me with a nationwide as well as a global view with ideas on how to make the 'Hat more prosperous and more attractive to others.
I plan to keep Speaking Out and Speaking Up, to bring a different point of view to the City.