Dear editor:
After reading a misleading column in the Cochrane Eagle’s competition last week, I felt it was an opportune time to provide facts and clarity on some of our town-owned lands and lands being considered for purchase.
Cochrane has been working with the Rocky View Schools division on a land acquisition. To be clear, this was a purchase by the school division of lands that were not listed for sale (unlike what the column led you to believe). The school division approached the landowners inquiring if the lands could be purchased and a subsequent sale has taken place. We are currently talking with the school division on a potential partnership with them on these lands. Alongside the new high school site, these lands could be used for many different recreation purposes, including new homes for the Lions Rodeo Grounds, Ag Society park, indoor soccer dome, quad ball diamonds, community campground and new BMX park.
As we get closer to the opening of the new aquatic and curling centre, we will need to start the conversation around the redesign of these lands. This will most certainly involve input from the community. This is likely to be a conversation we start this fall after we determine what lands are to be redesigned. The question I posed to the Lions Club, in conversations over the last few months, was would you be interested in partnering with the Ag Society (on the lands I mentioned prior) to create a single larger facility better able to suit all your needs. Should the Lions Club decide to relocate, then we would know to include the lower bench lands in the redesign plans, if not, we focus on the upper bench along 5th Ave. To clarify comments again from the column: the town has not been talking to or making any deals with developers to build out these lands into condos. As I said, the uses for these lands have yet to be determined.
Council last week gave approval to start the steps needed to prepare the old town hall site for sale. There is much interest in these lands and, at the same time, as we start the rezoning process, council will be asking for ‘requests for qualifications’ which will ensure council receives a list of appropriately skilled proponents well positioned to carry out the community’s vision for this site. This will then be followed by ‘requests for proposals’ from that qualified list of proponents. Council wants this piece of land to be developed into something very special, as it is a focal point when entering our community.
Ultimately, as we discuss all our land interests, council must make decisions so that the right piece of land is used for the right purpose at the right time, and with the future taken into consideration. We do this with input from the community so that we know the long-term vision for Cochrane is a shared one — we all want the best future for our town and for the people who live here today, tomorrow and long into the future.
Mayor Ivan Brooker
