Santa’s not-so-little helpers – off-duty members of Cochrane Fire Services – are carrying on their Christmas Eve tradition of carting St. Nick around town atop a fire truck Christmas Eve. Make that two fire trucks this year.
Santa’s not-so-little helpers – off-duty members of Cochrane Fire Services – are carrying on their Christmas Eve tradition of carting St. Nick around town atop a fire truck Christmas Eve. Make that two fire trucks this year.
“We tried to make more stops at community parks/schools, so we can stop for about five minutes for the kids to get a good look at Santa and receive a candy cane,” said firefighter David Levisky, adding the second fire truck will provide an added opportunity for people to donate non-perishable food items for the Cochrane Food Bank – a request from Coun. Alex Reed.
Chief David Humphries will be join the group along with special guests Mayor Jeff Genung and real VIP Santa Claus. Five firefighters will also be out handing out candy to the kids (and adults) along the route.
“This will be our fifth year doing the Firefighter Christmas Eve Santa Claus Run and we are also excited to also announce that other community first responders will also be joining us this year. If all confirmed we should have five trucks along the route,” said Levisky.
To encourage participation, Levisky said the firefighters will be putting out a friendly challenge to the local communities to demonstrate their Cochrane spirit. The community group with the largest crowds, most Christmas lights, and largest food donations that come by to see Santa, we get to be part of a pick up hockey game with the firefighters in the new year.
The last few Levisky said the communities with the largest crowds have been River Heights, Riviera and Heartland. The best community spirit was Heartland and Heritage Hills.
"West Valley always had the Best Christmas Lights,” he said.
Santa's Route
FIRESIDE
1:40:Traffic Circle By Children’s Red Park (5 minute stop)
1:45 - 1:50: Down Fireside Way to Fireside School then Fireside Parkway to Fireside Drive to Fireside Blvd to Exit
THE WILLOWS
1:55 - 2:00: Play Park South of Traffic Circle on Willow Park (3 minute stop)
2:00 - 2:05: Willow Street to Traffic Circle on Willow Drive to Exit
RIVER HEIGHTS (Riversong Northside)
2:05 - 2:10: River Heights Play Park on River Heights Blvd (5 minute stop)
2:10 - 2:13 : River Heights Blvd to River Heights Green back to River Heights Children’s Park to Exit
RIVIERA
2:15 - 2:20: Traffic Circle by Riviera Play Park (5 minute stop)
2:20 - 2:25 : Riviera Way to Riviera View to Riviera Crescent to Exit
RIDGE VIEW (Riversong Southside)
2:30 - 2:35: Ridge Gate then around Ridge View Close then to Exit
BOW RIDGE
2:40: Down George Fox Trail
2:45 - 2:50 : Toboggan Hill at Bow Ridge Road/George Fox Trail (5 minute stop)
2:50 - 2:55: Bow Ridge Road to Bow Ridge Crescent (past Clarence Copithorne Park) back to Toboggan Hill to Exit
BOW MEADOWS
3:00 to 3:05: Around the entire Bow Meadows Drive loop.
WEST TERRACE
3:10 - 3:20: Down Quigley Drive to Mitford/CCA School (3 minute stop) then down on West Terrace Road back to Quigley Drive to Exit.
GLENBOW
3:20 - 3:25: Glenpatrick Road (North to South) stopping at Glenbow School (3 minute stop) then out Glenpatrick Road to Fifth Ave
RIVERVIEW
3:30 - 3:40: Riverview Drive(North to South) around the entire Riverview Close then back down Riverview Drive.
DOWNTOWN
3:40: 1st Street West starting at Shell Gas Station to Rockyview Hotel to Coffee Trader’s (10 minutes +/- Santa’s Cookie and Coffee Break)
COCHRANE HEIGHTS
3:55 - 4:00: Chiniki Drive around the Tri-Schools down Chinook Drive to Forth Ave to Exit
HEARTLAND
4:05 - 4:13: Heartland Way (West to East) to Traffic Circle (5 minute stop)
4:13 - 4:15: Heartland Blvd to Exit
HERITAGE HILLS
4:20 - 4:30: Heritage Gate to Heritage Drive stopping at Children’s Play Park (5 minute stop) to Heritage Blvd to Heritage View then Heritage Drive to Exit
SUNSET
4:35 - 4:45: Sunset Drive (south to north) past St. Timothy’s School to Sunset Blvd to Children’s Play Park at Pond (5 minute stop)
4:45 -4:50 : Sunset Road to RancheView School (3 minute stop)
4:50: Sundown Road to Sundown View to Children’s Park (3 minute stop) to Sundown View then back out community to Exit
GLENEAGLES
5:10 :5:15 : GlenEagles Drive at the entrances of Glenvista Place and Glensummit Close (3 minute stop)
5:15 +: GlenEagles Drive back down to highway 1A underpass.
EAST END
Mountain to Pope to Sibbald to Carolina stop at Dewey Park 5:17
