Cochrane's LaunchPad in downtown Cochrane is in need of a major upgrade and Paul Perrault, Bike Cochrane's director of operations, says they estimate the upgrade will cost over $100,000.
To that end, they’re looking for Cochranites to buy tickets to their 50/50 Draw. The raffle is a major kick-off to that fundraising drive.
The raffle is capped at $20,000 and one lucky winner will walk away with $10,000 when the draw is made on Dec. 15, time for Christmas.
The bike park can now be a permanent fixture on Bow St. in the Quarry, so it has opened the door to upgrades that will make it accessible to more users, more often. A redesign and paving will allow scooter-riders and skateboarders to also enjoy the space.
"We were always concerned about the longevity of investing a bunch of money into a site that we might lose the next year," explains Perrault, "and so now that we have longer-term confidence in that site we are looking to move it forward, redesign it for a bit of a wider age range."
Currently the park is typically utilized by youth ages three to six, and that older kids tend to get pretty bored, pretty quickly.
"So we want to make that more exciting fun space for kids three to 12, for young adults, and for even dorks like me riding around on a bike. It's a lot more fun when there's a little bit more to engage with."
Cochrane is lucky to have this kind of facility right in the heart of the community, Perrault said. They are typically found on the outskirts of communities.
"We love the idea that that kids can ride there and go play without having to drive somewhere. We're quite excited to move to phase two to redesign our pump track and pave it, and that's really what this fundraising program is all about."
Paving the track will drastically reduce hours of maintenance and allow the park to be open more frequently.
A grant from the Bow RiversEdge Campground has helped them move ahead with the redesign and soil tests. They've also received small grants from the Town of Cochrane and Rocky View County.
For tickets go to rafflebox.ca/raffle/bikecochrane.
