Following the announcement of the impending expansion of the use of the Cochrane and District Agricultural Society’s land, Brian Birchall, president of the board for the Ag Society, said that an ‘informal’ area concept plan will be developed to help guide the venture.
“What we’re embarking on is really the result of a number of informal discussions that the Ag Society has had with both the town and the county,” said Birchall, indicating that talks have spanned the course of several months.
Along with the Ag Society, the Town of Cochrane and Rocky View County (RVC) will collaborate over the coming months to establish what and who can utilize the land, located on the junction of Highway 1A and 22.
Discussions have so far aimed to identify the goals and priorities for use of the land, which is currently owned by RVC and leased by the Ag Society.
Birchall pointed out that at one time the Ag Society was not within Cochrane’s boundaries, but now that it is, the town has a say to what is done with the land.
“Cochrane is the regulatory authority for any kind of planning matters,” said Birchall, adding that the Ag Society is the ‘stewards of the land,’ “but the county as the land owner certainly has a vested interest.”
Birchall said they are very early in the process of developing an area structure plan, and to speculate on what one might see happen to the land would be premature at this time.
“What we see today could well turn out to be different once we talk to various stakeholders,” said Birchall, adding that the Ag Society presently has five user-groups – the Big Hill West 4-H Club, Cochrane Pony, Roping and BMX Club and the Cochrane Horse Trials Committee – that will also provide input into the development of the plan.
The idea of moving the Lions Rodeo up to the Ag Society grounds has floated around in years past, and Birchall said that although he has limited knowledge of such a venture because it was well before his time, he is not against the suggestion.
“There has been talks over the years,” he said. “Our position has always been very clear and consistent, and that is that whether it’s the Labour Day Rodeo that the Lions put on or other rodeos, we’ve always said that we’d be interested in discussing that if it seemed like we were an appropriate venue for that type of thing.”
Birchall said the Ag Society does not go out and put on large programs on their own, but are more of a host facility, one they are very proud of having.
“We actually are fairly well equipped,” Birchall said of the possibility of hosting a rodeo, “in terms of the arena and the bucking shoots and all the kinds of things that would be required. If someone would want to host a rodeo at our grounds, we’re very interested in talking about that.”
Birchall said that he has never personally talked with the Lions Club about moving the rodeo up to the Ag Society, and highlighted that the town recently extended the lease for the present location for the Lions Club.
At this time, there are no plans for any open houses to gather input from area residents, but Birchall said the idea is not out of the question.
The process is expected to be complete by next summer.
“This is really a good opportunity for all three parties to sit down at the same table,” said Birchall, “to look at what each other’s goals are and find solutions to various constraints we might face and make sure that we all have an understanding of where we’re all headed with regards to use of the lands…it’s really a gem of a property.”
