Ten years of visioning, planning, and collaboration on the development of Cochrane’s Horse Creek Sports Park is finally coming to fruition as Town council voted to approve a key step forward in the development of the multi-use sports park, which includes site servicing for a future high school.
At the June 9 meeting council approved second and third readings for a bylaw authorizing the Town to borrow $10.83 million, with the funds earmarked to support detailed design work for Stage 1 of the Horse Creek Sports Park site and to complete the servicing and grading required to prepare the land for school construction. The Town stated an additional $600,000 will be contributed from municipal reserves, bringing the total approved budget for this phase of the long awaited project to $11.43 million.
This partnership between the Town of Cochrane and Rocky View Schools [RVS], which owns the land upon which a new school will be built, provides an “innovative and efficient approach to delivering urgently needed infrastructure,” the Town wrote in a press release.
In exchange for the land acquisition, the Town of Cochrane is leading the servicing of the site to ensure it is shovel-ready for a new high school that will serve Cochrane’s growing student population, the Town said.
In a statement, Mayor Jeff Genung said the approvals for Stage 1 represent more than just the progress on a park project. “This project has been thoughtfully developed over time, and we are excited to see it moving forward,” Genung said. “Horse Creek Sports Park will bring important recreational opportunities to our community and make way for a shovel-ready high school site. Both are critical in supporting Cochrane’s growth, meeting the needs of our residents and shaping a vibrant future for our town.”
The funding will also support the beginning of a detailed design process for the broader Horse Creek Sports Park guided by Cochrane’s Parks, Culture & Active Living Masterplan, which is currently underway.
"This project reflects what Cochrane residents have told us they value—access to outdoor space, opportunities to connect, and thoughtful growth,” wrote Director of Active Living for the Town of Cochrane, Michelle Delorme, in a statement. “By using a data-driven approach, we’re making sure this investment meets real needs today and sets the stage for future growth tomorrow.”
This phase of the project includes site servicing and design only. The Town said construction of Stage 1 park amenities, like quad diamonds, a washroom facility, partial parking lot, and integrated pathways, will be considered as part of the 2026 capital budget process. If approved, construction could begin in 2026, with the potential for the park to open for play in 2027, according to the Town.
