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Candidates debate, pool dominates conversation

Seniors on the Bow (SOTB) hosted a packed panel of Cochrane’s mayoral, council and school board candidates last night (Oct. 2), and funding for the new Aquatic Centre dominated the near three-hour conversation.
Seniors on the Bow host first all-candidates forum.
Seniors on the Bow host first all-candidates forum.

Seniors on the Bow (SOTB) hosted a packed panel of Cochrane’s mayoral, council and school board candidates last night (Oct. 2), and funding for the new Aquatic Centre dominated the near three-hour conversation.

During an event that was more about getting to know who is running for office in the Oct. 21 election than an actual debate, one of the lone ‘moments’ of the forum came when council candidate Gaynor Levisky passionately declared, “We have to let corporate Canada know that Cochrane is open for business.”

The proclamation was met with applause from many in the crowd of 147 attendees.

Levisky’s comment came in response to how the town plans to pay for the bevy of multi-million dollar projects it has on its plate without raising taxes, particularly the new pool, which is expected to ring in at $35 million.

Levisky said the town must first better balance its current tax base, which sits at 87 per cent residential to 13 per cent commercial, and to do so, it must welcome more business.

Many council candidates, including Marty Lee, Shana Bruder and incumbent councillor Jeff Toews voiced support for the pool project, saying it would add to the quality of life in Cochrane.

Others, like Dan Cunin, Steve Grossick, Jamie Kleinsteuber and incumbent Tara McFadden said they would like to see a pool, but not if it puts the town into debt.

Mayoral candidates Ivan Brooker and Joann Churchill both supported the pool project, with each echoing the sentiment that it should not bring debt to Cochrane. Churchill added that if money were borrowed to get shovels in the ground it would mean the town would exceed its debt limit in 2015.

Toews and Lee both argued that if the town waits to build the Aquatic Centre, the cost will go up at a more drastic rate than if they borrowed to begin construction now. Toews said that the town could borrow at a three per cent interest rate, which he said would be lower than the increased construction costs – a feeling Lee agreed with, who said if the pool had been built seven years ago when it should have been, it would have cost half the price.

All but two council candidates – Mary Lou Davis and Jim Uffelmann – were present for the forum.

Check out next week’s Eagle for more.

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