Following a grassroots fundraising campaign and two months of construction, the first section of the new Calgary To Cochrane regional trail is complete. The 2.2-kilometre section, called the Bearspaw Trail, links the western boundary of Calgary’s Haskayne Park with Michael’s Creek in Glenbow Ranch Provincial Park, winding through native grasslands on the north bank of the Bow River.
This first section of the trail connecting Calgary to Cochrane, is part of a planned regional pathway system for commuters, hikers, runners, cyclists, and outdoor enthusiasts.
“This is an incredible example of what can be accomplished when the community at large gets behind a legacy project like this,” says Susan de Caen, executive director of the Glenbow Ranch Park Foundation.
“We can’t thank Calgary and Cochrane enough for their support. More trails, more park access, more fun. What more could we ask for?”
Funding for this easternmost section of Glenbow Ranch Provincial Park’s pathway system was led by the Glenbow Ranch Park Foundation, beginning in Aug. 2014.
A major capital campaign brought in almost $200,000 in donations from more than 700 members of the public on behalf of their friends, families, and organizations. The trail received grants from all levels of government and several non-profit organizations.
“Glenbow Ranch is one of the newest parks in Alberta’s provincial park system,” says Travis Sjovold, Alberta Parks Area Manager. “This new pathway system will enhance recreational opportunities, and will help more people discover this ecologically diverse and historically significant landscape.”
Work on the City of Calgary’s connection to Glenbow Ranch Provincial Park is expected to begin early 2016. Access to the City of Calgary from the provincial park through Haskayne Park will be on hold until the city’s pathway system is complete.
Details regarding the western connection from Glenbow Ranch Provincial Park to the Town of Cochrane will be announced as plans are developed.
Opened in 2011, Glenbow Ranch Provincial Park was acquired by the Government of Alberta from the Harvie family of Cochrane in 2006.
