During a recent meeting with Rocky View County Coun. Bruce Kendall and concerned residents, there was a heated discussion about the possible sale of the Cochrane & District Agricultural Society grounds.
Kendall met with residents last week to discuss the current situation of the Cochrane ag society at a community meeting held at Dartique Community Hall on Feb. 24.
Cochranite Daria Holden, initiator of an online petition against the selling of the ag society land, was up first to speak at the community meeting to discuss the importance of the grounds.
“There is no guaranteed home if the grounds are sold – this is an extremely special facility and we have a really versatile ag society,” Holden said.
Holden went on to talk about why the grounds are important, bringing up the many user groups that utilize the land and noted that Cochrane’s ag grounds are above standard.
When she was finished speaking Holden received cheers and clapping from the crowd that filled the hall.
Kendall took his turn on the floor to try assure the crowd that he was determined for RVC and the ag society to work together.
“If it is not going to work for the ag society then it is not going to work for me or the county and we will have to find another way in the process,” said Kendall.
“We want to find an ag society that hopefully works for everybody and have the funding that hopefully doesn’t come off the taxpayers back or reserves. There are a number of uncertainties because we still don’t know what Alberta Transportation is going to do.”
During the question period, Kendall was questioned about the market value of the lands during “this economy,” to which he told the crowd after an assessment and interested proposals, it appears the land will sell higher than market value.
An upset member of the audience compared the possible sale of the land to “chopping down a rainforest” and the crowd got noticeably louder until hushed by the emcee.
“We want to make sure to replace what we are taking away,” Kendall said.
After the meeting the Eagle caught up with Kendall to ask how he thought the meeting went.
“I was delighted to see this many people come out and I think it went very well. I understand it is in the heart of the community, I fully understand their desires and I want to do my absolute best to ensure we achieve that goal,” Kendall said.
There will be another meeting to discuss the Cochrane ag society grounds, hosted by Daria Holden, who will bring in Kendall to speak about the issue. The meeting will be March 8 at 7 p.m. in the Rocky View room on the second floor of the Spray Lake Sawmills Family Sports Centre, located at 800 Griffin Road East, Cochrane.
