Skip to content

Construction of Transit Hub and Innovation Centre set to begin in June

"This project speaks to not only the history of Cochrane, but also the future," Hyndman said.  "It really speaks to a significant investment in the core of our community which aligns very closely with Cochrane's community vision."

COCHRANE— Looking to unite the past, present and future of Cochrane, The Transit Hub and Innovation Centre is on track to open its doors to the public next summer.

Town of Cochrane general manager Drew Hyndman and the team behind the project provided an update to Council on Monday (Feb. 22).

Hyndman described The Transit Hub as a centre that will serve to drive further investment in the downtown core.

"This project speaks to not only the history of Cochrane, but also the future," Hyndman said.  "It really speaks to a significant investment in the core of our community which aligns very closely with Cochrane's community vision."

The 7,700 square foot facility is expected to cost about $4.85 million. The construction will be funded using $3.2 million from the GreenTRIP grant and $1.5 million from the Municipal Sustainability Initiative.

The facility is expected to cost around $55,000 to operate annually. The full cost of operations has not been finalized.

The Transit Hub building will be located on the east side of the Old Esso Bulk Station across from the Cochrane Public Library. The building was originally designed to be a multi-story facility but at the Oct. 26, 2020, Council meeting it was changed to a single story.

Construction on the site is expected to break ground in June and be completed in the summer of 2022.

The site has been designed to integrate with the CP Rail crossing and will create a central gathering green space for the community. It will also support the COLT Transit System, the Southland Region Transit Service On-It, local taxi networks, bicyclists and pedestrian traffic.

Once completed the Transit Hub and Innovation Centre will become the home for the Visitor Information Centre, Business Development and Town Administrative services. It will also include a co-working space for a business start-up program in the Innovation Centre.

The innovation centre will include an incubator site designed to help local businesses grow, said Town of Cochrane Economic Development Manager Mike Korman.

The incubator program will work with local companies and entrepreneurs to help their businesses grow by providing a work space and programming. The space will not have a required rent, but there are plans for a fee to work in the incubator.

The goal would be to see businesses "graduate" out of the space.

"We haven't finalized the operation budget yet— There will be some rental opportunities when it comes to the board rooms and the Information Centre," Korman said. "There will be program fees for the Incubator but we haven't fleshed all of that out yet— There will be a cost associated with it."

The proposed name for the Transit Hub is currently the Cochrane Station, said Town of Cochrane Senior Communications Advisor Laurie Durkier.

The name Cochrane Station was chosen to capture the town's history and future, while identifying the location of the building and describing what happens in the area.

"It's a place where people come together," Drukier said. "It's a place you stop to connect."

Cochrane Link was proposed for the Business Incubator Innovation Centre.

Cochrane Station Site lead Greg Barsi said the team is working closely with consultants as the site is designed— This includes ensuring the site could have the opportunity to incorporate additional facilities if future expansion takes place.

He added the CP Pedestrian Crossing will be built in tandem with the Transit Hub.  The crossing will allow pedestrians to safely cross the railway. The $2 million crossing will be funded using the Community Revitalization Levy program.

While it was incredible to see the steps the Transit Hub has taken to become a reality, said Mayor Jeff Genung, it is an especially important project because the majority of funding has come from grants.

He noted the name Cochrane Station and Cochrane Link were underwhelming from his perspective. Genung said he hopes to find a name that is more exciting and captures a feeling of moving and creating in the innovation centre.

"If we went back to the drawing board on the Link potentially that would solve some of the issues that I'm having with it," Genung said.

Coun. Tara McFadden said it is exciting to reach this point with the project, describing it as a game-changer. She proposed the community pitch names for the project as was done for the Jack Tennant Memorial Bridge if resources are available through the communications team.

Coun. Marni Fedeyko asked for a name change that "sparks excitement" and helps the Transit Hub stand out in the community.

"I think they're very bland, they're not overly creative in any way," Fedeyko said.

She recommended public consultation take place for any proposed monuments or art projects at the Transit Hub as a way to showcase local artists in the community.

Genung added the art located at the site should incorporate an Indigenous lens to fully represent the Cochrane community.

"The history before we were on these lands I think is an important story to share," Genung said. "How can we have some Indigenous opportunities incorporated into this design?"

Fedeyko noted the town has had several youths die on the railway and the art projects could serve as a commemorative memorial.

"We have lots of great, local artists in our community perhaps it could be an opportunity for them to come forward and perhaps present something that they would like to create," Fedeyko said. "For an artist to have something of that size, of that stature might not cost the Town anything— They might just be excited to bring their own idea of artwork and add a flair to a building that would make it unique and different."

 
 
 
 
 
push icon
Be the first to read breaking stories. Enable push notifications on your device. Disable anytime.
No thanks