Over the past few weeks we have seen the value of community, and what it means for a community to come together– not only to help one another, but also to celebrate together.
Recent events such as the Labour Day Parade, the Diaper Derby, the Outhouse Races; these all speak to the community spirit of Cochrane, and the value we all place in one another as neighbours and as citizens of this great and growing community.
For without a sense of community, without neighbourlyness, a town is just a collection of wood, brick and concrete without an animating spirit of community.
In order to build a long lasting community and a sense of home within it, there must be buy-in from all who live there. There must be a desire to convene and accomplish great things together for the betterment of the community and for all those who dwell within it.
We must celebrate together in moments of joy and success, and stand together in moments of trial and difficulty. All these things are the sinew of community– that which holds the whole thing together.
It is good to see that Cochrane still has this feeling of interconnectedness and neighbourlyness despite the astronomical growth the community has experienced these past few decades.
And as we continue to open our doors to new residents who bring new elements of culture to flavour the soup broth of the whole, there is much richness on the horizon, and a strong sense of a community willing to walk forward to meet the challenges together.
We would encourage every resident to find ways to connect with community, and to find ways to share what they can offer to the larger culture of Cochrane. We would encourage those who have hands to help to come forward and find ways to work with others to build the community of the future together. So by these hands, we can build that which 100 years from now is still strong and vibrant, and standing solidly on a firm foundation.
