The Glenbow Ranch Park Foundation (GRPF) is seeking a memorandum of understanding (MOU) with the Town of Cochrane to play a role in shaping the future of Southbow Landing Park.
On May 20, GRPF chair George Paffrath told Cochrane town council the location is ideal for a river gateway into Glenbow Ranch Provincial Park and a future segment of the Trans Canada Trail.
"We believe the bridge that's going to go from the north side of the Bow River onto the south side, which is Southbow Landing, will be an iconic bridge to begin with, and it will be a major entrance both into Cochrane and Glenbow Ranch," Paffrath told council.
The proposed western gateway in Cochrane has already received support from the town’s Parks and Recreation Committee, Alberta Parks and The Trail Project.
The foundation has co-managed Glenbow Ranch Provincial Park for 15 years and is a managing partner for the Trans Canada Trail. It also operates the Haskayne Pavilion at the Haskayne Legacy Park, located at the eastern gateway to Glenbow Ranch.
Paffrath said the number of annual visitors to Glenbow Ranch is expected to double from 250,000 to 500,000 with the completion of the trail link between Calgary and Cochrane—and he anticipated it will rapidly climb to one million-plus visitors.
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While the foundation does not anticipate contributing directly to construction costs for an information centre, Paffrath noted it can access federal and provincial grants, as well as Trans Canada Trail funding, that are not available to the town.
He said now is the time for the foundation to get involved in planning. Two developers have already done preliminary work on the park’s design that does not include the features envisioned by the foundation.
“We believe the bridge will probably be built within the next five years, and the area and the visitor centre would have to correspond with that timeline,” he said.
Drew Hyndman, the town’s executive director of development and infrastructure, said both the Southbow and future Walkers Reach developers have begun work on the project, but he believes it has not progressed to a point that would exclude GRPF participation.
Town administration is preparing a report for council to consider the foundation’s request.
Town CAO Mike Derricott said the proposed park holds significance for both residents and visitors.
“There’s a lot of work to be done to ensure that we do this well and that we meet the needs of the various stakeholders, including Glenbow Ranch,” he said.