Protecting Harlow

Several months back the City of Medicine Hat listed 1064 1st St. SW for sale.

This lot has been vacant for decades. We have been told for years that nothing would happen with this lot until it was decided what would happen with a potential future highway interchange at the terrible intersection of 1st St SW and TransCanada Highway.

Shortly after the lot was listed for sale the City had a potential buyer that was interested in building two 4-storey apartment buildings on this site. While we recognize a need for more housing in our City we also knew that this project did not fit this site for many reasons.

This was a poorly thought out project and it did not fit the City's own guidelines for infill practices (Sensitively increase the density of neighbourhoods, maintain privacy, compatible with the character of adjacent properties etc.) This plan did not follow of City's own MasterPlan (MyMH) in many ways and even contradicted the Municipal Governing Act on several points.

When these concerns were brought forward to Medicine Hat Planning and Development we were met largely with ignored emails, bureaucratic non-answers and forced to talk to this person then that while noone would help us find clear answers or sit down to discuss with the concerned citizens of Harlow.

This has been an awful and frustrating process. Many of us thought and hoped that the City would truly look out for our best interest and care about the concerns of affected residents. This was not the case. We were pawns in their game and they kept pushing this through while we fought against it as best as we could but against a City department that did not care.

Long story short, the City approved this project and then when the neighbourhood put together a very clear and well formulated appeal expressing their concerns, the citizens were once again ignored and the City denied the appeal.

The next step was an appeal at the provincial level. This would be costly and a long process.

And so we approached the developer and came up with a win-win solution with him. The City would not work with it's citizens but this developer would.

We have agreed to pay for the studies, reports, assessments etc. that he has put into this site and in return he will pull his permit application with the City and look else where.

We are thrilled with this solution because it means that this propsed development will not be happening. We will now look to find an alternative project that fits the Harlow neighbourhood and community.

This solution does come at a very large cost.

While my parents made this choice on their own and with very tight time constraints (because our window to appeal with the provinces was quickly closing) and they are ready to put up all the money to protect their property, privacy, sunlight etc, It would be very much appreciated (but not expected) if anyone that is able and feels so inclined could pitch in with what they can.

My parents would never ask this as we recognize it affects them the most, but this will also have an impact on the rest of the neighbourhood.

For example, there are roughly 100 houses in the Harlow neighbourhood, if every house could pitch in $100-500, we could take a chunk out of their large investment.

I hope this does not come off wrong, I just feel that we have such great strength in numbers and we can all support each other in every way we can.

Please reach out if you have any questions and/or concerns.

Thank you everyone!