Coun. Morgan Nagel's proposal to have an arterial road cut across Cochrane Hill in an effort to address traffic congestion has received a mix of reaction, but the latest group to join the critics of the idea is the Franciscans at Mount St. Francis Retreat Centre.
The group that has been actively consulting with the public on what to do with its land was caught off guard when the story hit the media, stating the Franciscans had no prior consultation on the proposal that would see a portion of the road built on land owned by the retreat centre.
"This proposal, advanced at council without prior discussion or notice to the Franciscans of Holy Spirit Province of Canada, reinforces our urgent need to examine our property and to develop a plan for our South Lands. As described at the many stakeholder and public engagement efforts over the last several months, we are undertaking a comprehensive evaluation of our land holdings in Cochrane and are exploring potential alternate uses for these lands. Councillor Nagel’s proposal demonstrates our need to assure legal certainty over our property and to be party to all discussions and approvals regarding any possible re-purposing of our lands," the release stated.
The message was sent to media, posted on Facebook and emailed to the Franciscans' newsletter subscribers to clarify the road concept was not coming at the behest of the retreat centre.
The group also emphasized it is looking to meet with the councillor and the town to discuss the proposal.
In a previous interview with the Cochrane Eagle, Nagel said the motion was intended as a conversation starter.
"In no way am I saying I'm committed to a specific route," he said. "I think people want to get information on all the options and I think before I bring this back to council I would like to expand this motion."
In response to the Mount St. Francis Retreat Centre's specific concerns, Nagel said he isn't trying to "bulldoze" an idea forward and he has scheduled time to speak with the Friars regarding the proposal.
Morgan said he didn't address the idea with the organization prior to the motion because it is only a concept at the moment, adding he is aware that Franciscans are looking for ideas about the types of development, if any, that would be appropriate for those lands.
"I just want to start looking at our options," said Morgan.
He added that because the town is a stakeholder into any possible development on the Franciscan lands, he wanted to consider what might work best for the Town of Cochrane.
"I didn't think there'd be much of a problem," Morgan said in regard to putting the motion forward.
