COCHRANE— Ensuring Cochranites have access to recreation needs remains the number one priority for Councillor Tara McFadden.
One of the bigger plans in the work is the creation of the Horse Creek Sports Park, which is set to be built on a quarter section of land north of Heritage Hills.
The project needs to remain a priority for council, she said.
“We’re falling behind in parks and recreation places,” McFadden said. “That needs to be a priority in my mind.”
In late 2019 and early 2020, the Parks and Recreation Committee began work on a site plan for the Horse Creek Sports Park. The plan includes playgrounds, soccer fields, quad ball diamonds, an outdoor rink and hiking opportunities.
The focus for 2021 is the master plan update and detailed design and servicing of the park. In 2022 a completed detailed design is anticipated and services will be implemented in 2023.
The development of the site will be a phased approach, with a significant portion of the funding coming from fundraising initiatives from local sports groups and provincial grant funding when available.
The preliminary budget cost of the project is anticipated to be between $10 and $12 million.
Based on next year's budget, McFadden said, she is hoping to see the final purchase of the site.
“Once we have that plan we can work with all of the community groups that want to be there,” McFadden said. “There’s a gap in our playing fields. We need more of them and this is the answer.”
Rugby, baseball, soccer teams and other recreation groups need more playing space and the Horse Creek Sports Park serves as the perfect solution. McFadden added many groups have also asked how they can help with fundraising to make the event happen sooner.
She hears often from different sports groups about the playing space they need, she said, but more importantly the role these spaces can play in helping to facilitate community connections.
This need has only been highlighted by COVID-19.
Plans for the sports park were partially put on pause this year due to the global pandemic as the Town was short on management and strategic staff to help facilitate the project.
“This year's budget was about dealing with a crisis,” McFadden said. “But as we come out of that crisis the Horse Creek Sports Park should be a priority for the community.”
The Town of Cochrane was forced to pivot hard to deal with the COVID-19 pandemic, while heavily investing in transportation in the current budget.
While these priorities are critical, McFadden said, it has resulted in losses for recreation.
The creation of Horse Creek Sports Park is a personal priority for McFadden because it is a need that is “past due.” She added Cochrane is a rapidly growing community and recreation needs to catch up as a whole.
“I’m looking forward to next year so we can hopefully get back to working on this again,” McFadden said. “Let’s take it to the next level.”
Cochrane Council needs to send the message to Cochranites that recreation is a valued and considered of great importance as an essential part of building a complete community, she said.
“Moving ahead we need to make sure that we’re balancing out what our priorities are,” McFadden said.
Nurturing recreation and cultural activities are important to people in Cochrane, she said. McFadden added the community boasts a rich tapestry of sports and recreation minded people and facilities need to reflect that fact.
Physical activity and having the opportunity to get outside and recreate is pivotal for physical and mental health— As a town, there is an obligation to invest in those opportunities, McFadden said.
“Looking ahead we really need to make sure we have a balanced approach to what the community needs— Recreation needs to be a big part of that,” McFadden said.
The 2021-23 Cochrane Budget will be finalized at Monday's (Dec. 14) council meeting.
