Town council made two significant moves last week that have the potential to transform the landscape of this community. The first was the approval of the long-awaited on-demand transit system. The second was presenting the dream of the Tri-site Committee that, with the help of public input, outlined the possibilities for three significant public areas in the heart of Cochrane. While not everyone is onboard with the transit idea, it is a service Cochrane needs and the choice to go with a non-traditional on-demand format was smart. There is nothing worse than seeing buses running along routes empty, especially if you’re one of the taxpayers paying for the service but not using it. Instead, the system can be tailored to operate where it is needed, maximizing ridership. There is also more to consider when it comes to transit than simply the cost. There are tons of benefits, benefits that will likely one day extend to those opposed to the idea. Our population is aging and Cochrane has a large senior population. Considering how spread out the town is and the fact a lot of amenities are not centrally located, transit will be essential to people with reduced mobility and who can’t afford frequent cab rides. It will also allow people to age in place and not have to consider relocating to Calgary. Keeping people in Cochrane is good for the economy. These benefits are not limited to the older crowd. People with disabilities, those with lower incomes, families with one vehicle, those under driving age and simply people wishing to reduce their environmental footprint will all benefit. The catch will be if the town can meet its ridership expectations. To start, it is projecting 52,967 passengers in the first year, growing to 90,000 as the service takes off. At the highest point, the town’s prediction of 33 per cent recovery is based on around 288 riders per day or around 22 riders per hour based on current proposed operations. If the service can be tailored to maximize ridership during the peak hours at the beginning of the day and in the afternoon, these predictions are not overly ambitious, especially if the service links to a city commuter service that runs throughout the day. The Tri-site plan might make a lot of people nervous considering the millions worth of infrastructure associated with it and how often government dreams translate into taxpayers’ money, but there is a lot of exciting material in the designs. With literally something for everyone, from green space to an enhanced library to event space and affordable housing, the plan could enhance Cochrane living for a multitude of people. The key is to do it smart, do it slow and do it in such a way that it doesn’t dip further into the public purse. Cochranites are already eyeing tax increases every year for the foreseeable future. Many of the ideas within the plan, affordable housing, cultural centre and theatre space have the potential to add a lot value to the community. We need affordable housing in this community and events space whether its for trade shows, business conferences or entertainment has the potential to bring money into town. A lot of those ideas, especially the arts and culture centre, affordable housing and events spaces, can be done either completely by private business or with a partnership that limits the need for public money. Everyone wants to help this town prosper, but prosperity can only be achieved if citizens have money left to spend. The answer to bigger and better communities can’t always be more taxes.
