Dear editor:
Re: What to do with the old town office land? Think “park!”
There has been some discussion and debate with regards to what should be done with the old town office land across from the current FCSS Homestead Building. While I am sure that this land would be quite valuable in terms of sale or revenue, other considerations may be more valuable in the long term.
The tentative plan seems to be more retail space, more office space and possibly some space for a park. Yet economists and others tell us that the need for office space and retail space over the long term is changing. Roslyn Kunin, economist and business consultant, tells us (Troy Media, February 17, 2015) that “an ever-growing component of our purchasing is done in either big-box stores or on-line. We now have too much retail space.” Ms. Kunin cites closures such as Sony, Target and Chapters. She goes on to say, “Demand for retail space is going to continue to decline.”
What about the need for office space? Lauren Friese and Cassandra Jowett tell us in the Globe and Mail (March 12, 2013) “According to a 2012 study, organizations are set to reduce office space by 17 per cent by 2020, leaving as few as six desks for every 10 workers”. This they explain is a result of Generation Y and their familiarity with technology and efforts to transform the workplace to better suit their needs.
Whether predictions of the future are right remains to be seen, but it seems more likely that parks and green spaces will endure once established. This land is perfectly positioned for a central park that can be enjoyed by all citizens. A central park would also be a more effective introduction to Cochrane for visitors arriving to town along Highway 1A. Imagine a beautifully groomed park as a welcome to Cochrane.
Parks and recreation staff has done a very good job of finding spaces by closing streets for such activities as the annual Cochrane Light Up, which is currently held on a paved parking lot and road (not ideal). I believe that it is time to start thinking about reserving spaces such as this land in a way that can be enjoyed by citizens for generations to come.
I urge town council to resist the impulse to sell or develop any of this land and to think long term. Create a central park!
Della Robertson
