Two well-known golden arches have appeared on the website of a commercial development and has some Heritage Hills residents concerned about what may open on the west portion of the neighbourhood.
But the property’s developers said there are no plans at the moment for a McDonald’s restaurant to set up shop on the commercial lot, which goes by the moniker of Mountain Ridge Plaza.
“Nothing has been inked; nothing has been negotiated,” said Ali Ghani, president of Prism Developments. “At this point, all McDonald’s has done is express interest.”
Ghani said the development is still looking for tenants for the commercial project, which is nestled on the corner of Highway 1A and Horse Creek Road. He said he anticipates the plaza to include a small gym, a day care and a food establishment.
“We’re trying to nail something down by next month,” said Ghani. “We’d like to break ground and start working on one building this May.”
Adam Goddard, a Heritage Hills homeowner, said he had some concerns regarding the fast-food franchise moving to the commercial complex.
“Will (a fast-food chain) be good for the community, or not?” he said. “At this point, we have a lot of questions.”
Goddard said he’s spoken with a few homeowners who share his concerns. Topping this list would be the smell from the establishment, followed by noise concerns and traffic problems, as well as the effect a nearby fast-food joint would have on home prices.
Ghani said the development company encourages Heritage Hills residents to contact them with any concerns regarding Mountain Ridge Plaza. Information on the project can be found at mountainridgeplaza.com.
A representative from the Town of Cochrane said the commercial parcels in Heritage Hills have a land-use district designation of “local commercial.” This includes a variety of uses, including eating establishments.
“The town regulates uses, not users,” said Laurie Drukier, senior communications advisor for the town.
The Area Structure Plan for Heritage Hills will be presented to council sometime next month.
The developer has since removed the fast-food icon from its virtual online map.
