Parks: An open invitation to all

The City of Medicine Hat is home to world class urban parks and natural areas and recognizes the significance and importance of these designated lands and their contribution to an increased mental, physical and spiritual wellbeing to all of their users regardless of ability. As a Canada 150 initiative, municipal, provincial and federal parks across the country are devoted to increasing their inclusion and access to all users. To accomplish such a feat, the City of Medicine Hat is dedicated to ensuring that everyone in our community has access to equipment, programs, services and support they need.

To truly devote our parks to everyone, the City of Medicine Hat has and will continue to diligently work towards increasing its inclusion and accessibility; improving access such as park and recreation washroom facilities or more friendly accessible playgrounds. In addition, recent access upgrades such as the installation of a rubberized picnic and fire area in Echo Dale and future improvements around the Kinnette Kitchen in Kin Coulee for people with mobility challenges overcomes accessibility issues while connecting everyone with nature.

Promoting participation from individuals of all abilities through adaptive recreation activities will aid in increasing access and inclusion. For example, pickle ball; the fastest growing sport in North America has presented the parks department with the opportunity of making changes to courts to encourage more participation from all ages. Secondly, several educational programs offered through the Medicine Hat Interpretive Program at Police Point Park are currently offered to the community at low or no cost.

Other programs offered by the City of Medicine Hat include free admission to all facilities for support workers while providing a service. Also, a fee assistance program titled “Fair Entry” has been established. The Fair Entry program is designed to assist low income families/individuals to enjoy programs throughout the city through subsidized user fees. For more information please check the city website.

“Accessible Medicine Hat” is an online resource of meaningful accessibility information about City owned facilities, transportation, parking, services, and upgrading. It is meant to provide users with the information they need to plan, access, and use City facilities, programs, services, and natural areas.

Parks are for everyone to share, enjoy and interact with nature. The City of Medicine Hat reminds all users to please be respectful of others as we all access and explore.

Doug Knowles is a parks technician with the City of Medicine Hat's Parks and Recreation Department.