In his first major announcement as a mayoral candidate, Morgan Nagel is proposing a mixed-use riverfront park that would also serve as a permanent home for the Cochrane Farmers’ Market.
The park would be established on land recently purchased by the town beside the Bow RiversEdge Campground, adjacent to the popular Jim Uffelmann Memorial Park and the emerging Greystone community.
“I know Cochrane’s residents don’t want to see the recently purchased riverfront properties developed with more homes,” Nagel said. “Cochrane deserves a vibrant, year-round outdoor gathering space that gives friends and families a place to connect, while also supporting local businesses.”
In late June, the town announced it had purchased the last undeveloped piece of riverfront property within town limits from Rocky View County for $5 million. The 26-acre parcel, described by the town as a “dream property with many possibilities.”
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The Cochrane Farmers’ Market has grown substantially since relocating to the SLS Centre in 2020 to become the “Market by the Bow.” Prior to that, it was known as the “Market at the Ranche” and was located at the Cochrane Ranche historic site along Highway 1A.
Recently, it added two special indoor markets: the Spring Market and the Cochrane Christmas Farmers’ Market inside the SLS Centre.
The Cochrane Farmers’ Market was established in 1998 and is now in its 27th year of operation.
Nagel’s proposal calls for a phased approach, beginning with a simple market setup and eventually expanding into a full four-season park with outdoor activity areas, community event spaces, and family recreation.
Nagel said he plans to hold informal consultations during the election with residents, key stakeholders, and other municipal candidates to build consensus around the project.
If elected, he said one of his first steps would be to ask town council to create a task force to explore the potential for the mixed-use park and farmers’ market. The task force would include local stakeholders and community representatives and guide the vision-setting and planning process.