Page 21 - FF USA Exchange Diary September 2016

DATE: Wednesday August 3 FROM: Glen Stations of The Cross, MH Council, Thermal Berms

Today dawned drizzly and cooler than we had so far experienced. We were privileged to be taken on a tour, by
FF member George Kambeitz, of “The Stations of the Cross”, brick artworks designed and created by Jim
Marshall, a local artist who started his career providing Black and White Sketches for the Alberta Government.
His Brick designs are cut while the bricks are still soft and, as well as these magnificent depictions of Christ’s last
earthly journey, there are many of Jim’s works around the city and State.
We were also permitted entry into St Pat’s Church, an edifice built entirely
of concrete poured on site but, with an internal wooden ceiling which was
installed in more recent times and above which are the original high
windows.

After leaving the Church grounds we were welcomed by the Mayor
of Medicine Hat where our ED and the Mayor unveiled a
Friendship Force Plaque, strategically placed on the wall of the public relaxation area of
a strikingly modern City Hall.

After being shown the Mayor’s office overlooking the River, and enjoying lunch in that
same area, a former councillor, Mr Les Pearson, provided us
with a lengthy tour including the Council Chamber. Les spoke to
us of how Medicine Hat owns all the utilities and develops land and
how all residents must vote in Council elections.

He told us it is a Retirement City and also has a high
number of low paid workers. The city has had to
shoulder the responsibility for the restoration of
4500 Gas Leases which have been
abandoned since the Gas Price dropped. An
interesting fact about the Province of Alberta is that it has NO RATS.
Initially, it was a huge undertaking because Alberta covers a very large
area. Rats were declared a pest in 1950 by the Alberta government and
the extermination program started in 1951. Medicine Hat has a full time Rat
Patrol which keeps the city rat free despite being situated in the midst of Crop
producing prairies!

With the weather being unkind, we were unable to see the Thermal Berms or Dykes which the city has erected in
strategic places around the river. Les instead spoke to us of how 1 in 10 people had been severely affected by
several large floods and many businesses had to shut down, including the Brickworks which now house a
museum. The Berms or dykes have been built with safety concepts including erosion control blankets,
reinforcement mats and waste evacuation components and are large earthworks rising to above the 100year
water levels of the floods. Les was able to join us for lunch and also for the Farewell Dinner held 7 August at the
Medicine Hat Golf Course.