Cochrane Now/Noel Edey
Cochrane is now the owner of the last undeveloped piece of riverfront property within town limits—land that has drawn considerable interest from multiple parties.
On Tuesday, Mayor Jeff Genung announced the town has purchased the 26-acre parcel from Rocky View County for $5 million. The land has also been eyed by others, including the Bow RiversEdge Campground.
“Twenty-six acres, right on the river—obviously, we see this as a very significant piece of property,” said Genung. “We wanted to make sure it was moving forward in a way that suits our community in the best fashion.”
He said while there's no current plan for the land, the purchase opens the door for future possibilities.
“We don’t have anything in mind currently. It just provides us with the opportunity to dream about what this site could become. That work is yet to happen. Without that land in our control, we had no control—so this was the best option to ensure whatever ends up on the site best suits our community and Cochrane’s long-term vibrancy.”
The property borders the RV campground and the emerging Greystone community, and is close to the SLS Centre and Jim Uffelmann Memorial Park.
The $5 million will be drawn from the town’s general reserves and won’t directly impact property taxes.
Genung acknowledged there was strong interest in the land from other groups and thanked Rocky View County for giving the town first right of refusal. The deal was approved by both town and county councils following closed-session discussions.
“Rocky View County and Cochrane administration went through all the procurement details, and this was a price that both of our communities agreed upon,” said Genung. “We also understood there would be future costs associated with it.”
The site has some contamination from its former industrial use. A remediation plan will be developed and submitted for approval to Alberta Environment and Protected Areas.
Genung noted that other work will follow, including land-use planning, imaging, and public visioning.
“We want to make it clear to groups that might be coming forward with suggestions—it’s going to take some time,” he said. “It’s likely a three-to-five-year timeline before we actually see a shovel in the ground.”
He emphasized that public engagement will help shape the future use of the land.
