Pool Opening
Administration is hopeful that the Jayman Built Aquatic Centre and adjacent outdoor spray park will be open to the public the week of July 24.
Suzanne Gaida, deputy CAO, presented an update on the project to town council on Monday night.
She said the four pools are currently undergoing chemical testing and circulation – with some adjustments still needed. The lap pool is currently green in colour, which can likely be attributed to high metals and not bacterial.
Final inspections are slated for next week from Alberta Health Services, with the hopes for lifeguards to begin on-site facility training shortly afterwards.
Coun. Mary Lou Eckmeier suggested making the outdoor spray park admission-free for the remainder of this summer season – as a consolation prize for the community, which has been anxiously awaiting the delayed pool.
Gaida said that she would have to bring the idea up to the Spray Lake Sawmills Family Sports Centre (SLSFSC) board, as they – not the town – set pricing and operate the facility.
Social media has erupted recently with complaints that the spray park will not be free, as is typical in other communities.
The rates for the spray park are $5/individual or $20/family rate (includes indoor pool use); use of the facility is included for SLSFSC facility pass holders.
Electoral Boundaries
An overview of the proposed changes to the province’s electoral boundaries that would include Cochrane were presented to council.
Written submissions on the proposed boundaries can be submitted at abebc.ca until July 16.
The proposed changes to this region include the division of Cochrane from the Kananaskis, resulting in Banff-Stoney (including Bragg Creek) and Airdrie-Cochrane.
The division of Airdrie would result in “everything west of Eighth Street SW and north of Yankee Valley Boulevard” (around 15,000 people) lumped in with Cochrane to form a new electoral boundary of just under 50,000 people.
The new Banff-Stoney riding is thought to provide a greater platform for indigenous voices – as it would include the Stoney-Nakoda First Nation in Morley and the Tsuu T’ina First Nation east of Bragg Creek, as well as Canmore and through the Banff National Park.
According to commission chair Justice Myra Bielby, the status quo would result in Cochrane being “underweighted” and would not maintain the guidelines put forward by the Alberta legislature – with Cochrane pushing the maximum boundary of 25 per cent of the provincial constituency average at 21 per cent and counting.
Offsite Levies 2016
The 2016 report to council revealed that a total of $4,358,430 in offsite levies were collected last year.
Of this, $1,299,289 was collected in offsite levies out of the $2,509,323 imposed on around 17 hectares of land in 2016; collections last year from the 2015 imposed levies amounted to $3,059,141.
Bridge Borrowing
The town is looking to borrow $8 million as part of the total $19.8 million needed to build the bridge that will connect Cochrane main with the south side.
Council gave first reading to a bridge borrowing bylaw as part of a financial strategy to take advantage of low interest rates now and borrow the remaining amount in 2019. Coun. Morgan Nagel was the only vote of opposition.
Southbow Land Uses
Following some debate, council gave second reading to a land use amendment for the planned Southbow community on the south side of the Bow River, with the amendment to exclude multi-family parcels located north of James Walker Trail.
While Coun. Tara McFadden was apprehensive to grant comprehensive land use to the entirety of the plan, council conceded that it would be most beneficial to approve land uses of 208 out of the total 219 hectares of land in order for the town to secure road dedication to complete James Walker Trail and move forward with the bridge.
The Southbow community is viewed as the next step in building the commercial component on the south side of Cochrane. Total build-out of the community for around 10,000 people is anticipated to take 15 to 20 years and is market-dependant.
Rivercrest NP adopted
Council adopted the Rivercrest Neighbourhood Plan, striking down Coun. Tara McFadden’s proposed amendment to change the slope setback to 15 meters from top-of-slope from 13.5 meters.
Mayor Ivan Brooker felt the proposed setbacks would be adequate, backed by Coun. Morgan Nagel – who felt the engineering reports backing the proposed setbacks satisfied any slope stability concerns.
McFadden said she was good with “95 per cent of the plan” but could not get past the slope stability aspect and given Cochrane’s history of building on slopes, she would not support it.
Couns. Mary Lou Eckmeier and Gaynor Levisky supported her motion.
