GECA – Other Agenda Items Board Meeting November 4,2025

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Respecting Town Bylaws — and Each Other
As our community continues to grow, it’s important that we all do our part to maintain a safe, respectful, and enjoyable neighbourhood. While Town bylaws provide rules, good neighbour behaviour is equally important.

We continue to receive concerns about off-leash dogs on pathways and cats roaming off private property. Under Town Bylaw 04-2016, pet owners must ensure their animals are not running at large. Dogs may only be off-leash in approved off-leash areas.

Beyond bylaw requirements, there are many reasons to keep pets under control. Some residents—children included—may be fearful of unfamiliar animals, have allergies, or feel uncomfortable when approached. Additionally, keeping pets close protects them as well; coyotes and other wildlife have recently been spotted in the community, and roaming pets can be vulnerable to natural predators.

Please be considerate of your neighbours and ensure your pets remain on your property or under proper control.

Public Off-Leash Parks

  • Riverfront Park: An area under the Highway 22 bridge, accessible from the boat launch parking lot off Griffin Road. It includes both fenced and unfenced sections.
  • West side of Highway 22: A large green space between Quigley Drive and West Rock Road.
  • West side of Highway 22, South of West Rock Road: A designated area specifically for small dogs and puppies.
  • Heritage Vista: A small, fenced-in dog park for public use.
  • Jim Uffelmann Memorial Park: A multi-use park with an off-leash area, located between the south end of River Avenue and the Jack Tennant Memorial Bridge.

The Cochrane Humane Society also operates two off-leash bookable parks.

Speeding

The speed limit on Gleneagles Drive is 50 km/h. Within Gleneagles East, Gleneagles West, and condominium areas, the limit drops to 30 km/h to protect pedestrians, cyclists, and wildlife.
We ask all residents and visitors to drive with care and respect the posted limits. Peace Officers have been monitoring speeds more frequently, and we hope this continued presence encourages safer driving habits for everyone’s benefit.

Golf Course Updates

The Links of Gleneagles is a defining feature of our community. Many of us enjoy beautiful views of the course, and the way it winds through our neighbourhood adds to the unique character and appeal of Gleneagles. We value having such a well-maintained recreational amenity right in our backyard.

Like all neighbours, however, there are times when shared interests or concerns arise. GECA believes these matters are best addressed through respectful dialogue and solutions that work for both residents and the Golf Course. As we plan for 2026, we look forward to meeting with Golf Course management to explore collaborative approaches on topics such as weed control, the course’s debris/dumping area, tree screening, and errant golf balls.

Our goal is to maintain a positive, cooperative relationship and ensure that any improvements are mutually beneficial and financially practical.

Concrete Batch Plant Updates

On April 17, 2024, the Cochrane Planning Commission approved a development permit allowing Heidelberg Materials to build a concrete batch plant at their existing gravel pit site. A community-led appeal was launched on May 16, 2024 with 99 signatures, the majority from Gleneagles residents. On May 27, 2024, Heidelberg requested that the Town cancel the permit, which ended the appeal at that time.

However, this matter is not resolved. In 2025, Heidelberg has:

  • Successfully applied to the Province to transfer a “dormant” water licence from Bearspaw to Cochrane and revise its purpose from gravel washing to concrete production, despite strong community concerns (this decision is currently under appeal).
  • Submitted a new development permit application to build the batch plant, which is expected to go before the Planning Commission in the coming months.

If you want more information please see the most recent postcard message sent out by the concrete batch plant group and access one or more of their information channels.

 

GlenEagles Community Association (GECA) Newsletter – November 2024

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2025 GECA Updates

As the year draws to a close, we wanted to take a moment to share some of GECA’s key accomplishments and challenges in 2025, along with early priorities for the year ahead. We’ve also included updates on several topics raised by residents this year — including speeding, off-leash dogs, roaming cats, golf course considerations, and the status of the proposed concrete batch plant.

2025 Landscaping Updates

Landscaping initiatives in GlenEagles are a shared accountability between the Town of Cochrane and the GlenEagles Community Association (GECA). We also had our first resident step up to “Adopt an Island”.  Refer to the Gleneagles Landscaping Map to follow the progress (Insert link to Landscaping Map).

Adopt an Island: GE View “Bumpout” (Landscaping Map #8)

Transformed the “Bumpout” on Gleneagles View from a barren rock and mulch island to a perennial garden. Our thanks to Rob McDougall for initiating this change and for designing, planting, and watering the newly planted perennials. While GECA paid for the plants, Rob did all of the hard work!

Joint GECA – Town of Cochrane Initiative: The Landing Island (Landscaping Map #13)

Planted 36 new drought resistant, shrubs and trees – joint venture with the Town of Cochrane.
Plans for 2026 include watering and weeding the expanded shrub and tree beds, as well as planting some perennials.

The entrance to The Landing Island after dead shrubs removed.

Some before and after pictures where shrub and tree beds were expanded.

Gleneagles Community Association Initiatives:

Murphy Brothers Park (Landscaping Map #1)

Expanded tree beds, re-edged, mulched and weeded.
Plans for 2026 include planting perennials in 3 of the 4 park entrances.
Sadly we don’t have any before and after pictures but I think that residents all agree that the improvements were significant.

GE Island #2 (Landscaping Map #10)

Expanded tree beds, re-edged, mulched and weeded.
Plans for 2026 include removing dead shrubs and trees. Determine if some beds are suitable for planting perennials.

West Entrance to Fenton Park (Landscaping Map #2)

Expanded tree beds, re-edged, mulched and weeded.
Plans for 2026 include planting perennials.

Perennials Planted at the lower levels on GE East and GE West Boulevards(Landscaping Map #17 and 18)

We started this experiment in 2024 to see if perennials would withstand the winter snow and salt pileups on the boulevards. This appears to be successful. The Landscaping Committee will review and determine potential expansion to other boulevard beds in Gleneagles.

The View Park(Landscaping Map #4)

Watered and weeded the expanded shrub and tree beds planted last year. Plans for 2026 include another year of weeding and watering.

The Town of Cochrane Initiatives:

The Ravine Pathway

Last year the Town upgraded the west side of the ravine pathway using funds from the Canada Trail. This year they received another grant and upgraded the east side.

Tree Watering

The Town continues to water the trees planted on GE Boulevard East in 2023 and agreed to water the new trees on The Landing Island. This greatly reduces GECA’s operating costs and allows us to undertake more landscaping projects.
Weeding

The Town agreed to weed the shrub and tree beds in the parks and islands on a rotating 2-week basis, with the exception of the areas that GECA specifically agreed to manage. While the excessive early rains made this a challenge, weeds in the areas were kept under control.

Wearmouth Park (Landscaping Map #3)

Installed new, upgraded playground in mid-October. See the announcement below.
Plans for 2026 include landscaping around the playground and expanding the shrub and tree beds, re-edging, and mulching throughout the Park.

TOC Announcement:

  • This vibrant new play space offers a variety of exciting and inclusive features designed to spark imagination, movement, and connection.
    Tree Branch Climber – Organic shapes and nature inspired to climb and use as a path to a platform or between two posts. Kids will love the challenge of climbing up, through or traversing.
  • Velo Slide – a fun fast ride with a little extra drop that makes kids want to slide again and again.
    Maze Accessible Finger Reach Panel – Finger tracing in the lines encourages exploration interaction and develops fine motor skills for children with all abilities.
  • Fly Low Pod – Can be used as a bench for children to play and communicate or as balancing act. Great for learning, socializing, relaxing and engaging.
  • 360 Loop Slide – Transfer, climber, slide combo allows for children of all abilities to have control over their play experience and be able to play and move independently in an all-new way. Transferring on the climber, kids can climb however they are comfortable using their upper bodies or legs to work their way to the top, before they come down the slide and repeat.
  • Formis Ladder – Geometric shapes and forms create this unique climber.
  • Swings – As per the request of the community, a standard swing set was preferred
  • Spring Rocker – Kids will love to pretend they are galloping through the fields on open horseback.
    A large shade structure has also been added to enhance comfort. Because the canopy must be removed each winter, we’ve scheduled its installation for spring, along with some seating beneath it next summer.

2025 Landscaping Challenges

Excessive Rain
The unusual amount of rain throughout most of the summer months highlighted some new issues and resulted in some projects being deferred.

New Issues:

The Condition of our Pathways

Many residents have noticed that several of our pathways are aging and in need of repair—an issue made more visible by this summer’s unusually heavy rainfall. While pathway maintenance is the Town of Cochrane’s responsibility, GECA recognizes how important these trails are to our community.

We have submitted a report prepared by Board member, Gary Kooistra, outlining key concerns and will continue to follow up with the Town on repair plans and timelines. We will keep residents informed as we receive updates.

Gleneagles Pathways Maintenance Report (July 23, 2025)

Pathways are essential to the safety, connectivity, recreational enjoyment, and visual appeal of our community. As shared public infrastructure linking neighbourhoods and greenspaces, they require consistent, proactive maintenance to remain safe and fully functional.

While some sections of the pathway network in Gleneagles have been repaired in recent years, many stretches are showing significant deterioration and require attention. The unusually high rainfall this year has further exposed existing deficiencies and safety concerns.

The pathways in Gleneagles are now more than twenty years old, and their age is evident. Widespread cracking—both longitudinal and lateral—is present throughout the network. Many cracks are deep enough to create tripping hazards for pedestrians and cause instability and discomfort for cyclists, scooters, and mobility-device users.

The recent heavy rainfall also highlighted drainage issues. In several locations, the pathways slope toward the curb or low points, causing water to pool rather than drain off. While this may not be a concern on higher-elevation grades, in lower sections pooled water has become common. Standing water accelerates pathway deterioration and increases safety risks. In winter, snowmelt during chinook conditions followed by overnight freezing creates large icy patches, significantly increasing the risk of slips, falls, and collisions.

Of particular concern is the pathway along GlenEagles Drive, through the carpark at the ball diamonds, and down to The Headlands, which is in especially poor condition and poses a notable hazard.

Photos attached below illustrate key problem areas.

 

This is at the end of Headlands Close. The pathway is steep, and due to the “cold flow” of the asphalt, a large ridge has formed. It is a tripping hazard. It becomes very dangerous when covered in snow during winter.

This report brings these issues forward for the Town’s review and requests timely and appropriate maintenance and rehabilitation actions, with priority given to safety and long-term infrastructure preservation.

GECA will continue to follow-up on the state of our pathways in 2026.

Town Mowing Delays Due to Wet Ground

This summer’s saturated ground conditions prevented the Town’s heavy mowing equipment from accessing some areas without sinking into the turf. As a result, certain roadside and boulevard sections saw delayed mowing and higher-than-normal grass and weed growth. To help maintain the appearance of our neighbourhood, GECA arranged for our landscaper, TJK, to cut and bag the grass on the Gleneagles East and West islands using lighter equipment better suited to the wet conditions.

Town Deferred Projects

The following projects were delayed as a result of the wet weather and it is our expectation that they will be completed in 2026:

  • Replacing the stone pathway between The Landing Boulevard and the outer pathway around Gleneagles
  • Moving benches from little used areas to locations recommended by residents
  • Relocating the garbage can by the benches in The View Park
  • Repairing the slumpage at the baseball diamonds along Gleneagles Drive

 

Wearmouth Park Update

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The newest playground in Cochrane is officially open to the public.

The GlenEagles Wearmouth Park playground offers an inclusive and accessible space designed for kids of all ages and abilities.

The site features a tree branch climber, a velo slide, a 360 loop slide and other new equipment aimed at encouraging active play.

Grass Maintenance in Cochrane Parks

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A Message From the Town of Cochrane

Hello Community Association friends!

We’ve been getting a number of calls lately about the long grass in some of our parks, and we just wanted to say – we hear you, and we totally agree! The grass is growing like crazy, and we are doing our best to stay on top of it.

With all the rain we’ve had this year (thanks, Mother Nature!), it’s been a challenge to get our mowing equipment into the parks. Wet conditions mean our mowers don’t perform well, and using heavy machinery on saturated ground risks damaging the turf.

We truly appreciate your patience as we work to get things back on track.

On the bright side, the parks are looking extra green and lush this year – Mother Nature is definitely doing her part to keep things beautiful!

The Town of Cochrane

Concrete Batch Plant

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Here’s the latest update on the proposed Heidelberg Concrete Batch Plant in Cochrane:

  1. Meeting with Town of Cochrane Planning Department
    This past Thursday, seven members of our steering committee met with the Town of Cochrane’s planning staff to discuss our concerns about Heidelberg’s Development Permit application to build a Concrete Batch Plant in the Robinson Gravel Pit.

It was a productive exchange of information. We left the Town with several outstanding questions and expect follow-up soon.

Importantly, we learned that if this application proceeds, it will go to the Cochrane Planning Commission this fall—not to Town Council.

Our presentation to the Town is attached. Please take a moment to review it.  wm-so.glb.shawcable.net/service/home/~/?auth=co&loc=en&id=214637&part=2

  1. Water Licence Update – Public Review Secured
    You may have received our earlier message about Heidelberg’s application to transfer a water licence from Bearspaw to Cochrane to supply water for concrete production.

Initially, Alberta Environment ruled there would be no public review of this application, requiring individuals to contact Heidelberg directly.

After multiple requests from our group and others, the Director has reversed that decision. A public review will now be held, and those who requested one should have received an email confirming this.

Thank you to everyone who took action. If you Reply to this email, we will be able to share more details about the timing and format of the public review as they become available.

  1. New Facebook Group – Join Us
    To help share accurate and timely information, we’ve created a private Facebook group:
    🔗Concerned Citizens Cochrane – Concrete Batch Plant

If you use Facebook, please join us for updates, discussions, and resources.

  1. Related News – Airdrie Concrete Plant Concerns
    If you haven’t seen it, CTV Calgary recently reported on serious community concerns about dust from a concrete plant in Airdrie:
    📺Watch the report
  2. Support Our Efforts – GoFundMe Relaunch
    We are reactivating our GoFundMe campaignto help cover costs for outreach and materials—such as advertising the Heidelberg Open House and printing cards for residents to report dust, noise, and other disturbances from the pit.

If you can, please consider a donation:
🙏 GoFundMe – Concerned Citizens Cochrane

If you have questions or would like to get more involved, please reply to this email.

Thank you again for your ongoing support!

—
Concerned Citizens Cochrane – Concrete Batch Plant

Thinking About Updating Your Yard? Choose Beautiful, Drought-Resistant Plants!

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GECA is leading the way by transforming community spaces into xeriscaped landscapes—and we’re encouraging residents to join the movement. This shift helps preserve our water supply, cuts down on mowing and raking, and still allows for beautiful, green spaces that enhance your home’s curb appeal.

Need Help Choosing Plants?
You’re not alone! GECA collaborated with the Town of Cochrane and two local horticulturalists to identify over 100 drought-tolerant plants, including:

  1. Shrubs
  2. Perennials
  3. Native grasses
  4. Ground covers
  5. Trees

Ready to get started?
 (Click here for the full plant list and other xeriscaping resources)

Let’s work together to protect our environment, reduce water use, and create yards we can all be proud of.

For more details on why GlenEagles is embracing xeriscaping, visit: https://geca.ca/why-does-gleneagles-need-to-move-to-more-drought-resistant-landscaping-alternatives

Let’s talk, Cochrane

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LIVE PROJECTS 

Have your say in Cochrane’s 2026-2028 budget survey

We want to hear from you as we plan for Cochrane’s future!

  • Check your mailbox for a letter with a QR code
  • Expect a calif you’re randomly selected (18+ residents)
  • Join the conversation online at letstalkcochrane.ca/2026budget

Your feedback is key in making sure we prioritize what matters most to you! Have your say before May 8th and be eligible to enter a draw to win a gift certificate to a local Cochrane business of your choice (valued at $150).

COMING SOON 

Your community, your future – phase 2 engagement now here!

The focus of this next phase will be on gathering resident feedback to refine Plan priorities, outcomes and the our vision for the future. Last fall we got a better understanding of the types of activities you enjoy participating in and your satisfaction with parks, recreation, programs and activities available. This next phase is about prioritizing what we heard from you.

There will be more opportunities to have your say on with Phase 2 resident survey’s, community group meetings, community sounding boards and pop up events, youth engagement opportunities.

Review the Phase 1 What We Heard Report 

COMPLETED PROJECTS

Help shape community wellness

The community wellness plan is all about making our Town a safer and healthier place for everyone, especially young people. Thank you to everyone who participated in this engagement.

Read the what we heard report. 

Cochrane’s age-friendly action plan is now live

An age-friendly community is one where there are no barriers to access services, programs, businesses and facilities. Extensive public engagement opportunities from June 2023 – April 2024 invited community members to share their insights on the current state and desired future of an age-friendly Cochrane. Thank you to the community members who contributed to the public engagement process. As a result of this process, we have now created an “Action Plan” that identifies eight core actions that will be completed over the next five years.

View the plan now.

Envision Cochrane 2050 has now been adopted

Thank you for taking the time to provide your feedback throughout the Envision Cochrane 2050 process. Together we’ve created a plan that reflects our community’s vision for how we live, work, play and thrive. Envision Cochrane 2050 (EC2050) is Cochrane’s official Municipal Development Plan (MDP) guiding our growth over the next 25 years. It serves as the guiding framework for all municipal planning decisions and policies. It also informs other key plans, including the Land use Bylaw, Cochrane Sustainability Plan, Growth Management Plan, Area Structure Plans and Neighbourhood Plans.

Read the plan now.

Thank you for being part of Let’s Talk Cochrane. We look forward to seeing your input on projects.

Kind regards,

Team Cochrane

 

Wearmouth Park is getting an upgrade

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After engagement from the Gleneagles community, the Parks & Recreation Committee, Parks Certified Playground Inspectors and the Town Community Liaison for Diversity and Inclusion, the top selection was Design A – featuring the popular 360-loop slide.     A larger shade structure has been added and over the existing benches that will be refinished.  In order to accomodate these changes, we have elected to keep the pea gravel surface instead of Engineered wood fibre.  We hope to have it installed in September.

 

 

Concrete Batch Plant

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Concrete Batch Plant Alert. Heidelberg Materials is hosting an Open House in the Hillside Room at the SLS Centre on March 6, 2025 from 5:00 PM to 8:00 PM

BACKGROUND INFORMATION – July 2204 Newsletter

Heidelberg Materials Open House re: Proposed Concrete Batch Plant

SLS Centre, Hillside Room
Thurs March 6th 2025, 5pm-8pm
RSVP by scanning the QR code in the ad below, or email Emily.Guzman@heidelbergmaterials.com

Heidelberg Materials ​submitted a development permit application in late 2023 to construct a concrete batch plant in the gravel pit adjacent to Riversong and the Bow River. This development permit application was withdrawn on May 27th, 2024 following concerns raised by Cochrane residents, mainly in the communities of RIversong and Gleneagles.

In their withdrawal letter, Heidelberg Materials indicated that they intended to “re-engage residents and town officials to share information and collect additional input to support a future development permit application for the project”.

An ad in the Feb 20th 2025 edition of the Cochrane Eagle (page A15) indicates that there is an upcoming Open House at the SLS Centre on Thursday March 6th. at 5pm.

We Need Your Input….on relocating two benches and the garbage can in the View Park

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  • The two benches located at the west end of the Gleneagles Landing Green space (#11 on the Landscaping map) are rarely used. The Town is prepared to relocate them anywhere on Town land along the pathways in Gleneagles.
  • The garbage can located in the View Park next to the benches can get smelly, particularly in hot weather. The Town is prepared to move the garbage can to a location of our choice either in the Park or somewhere else in Gleneagles that is easily accessible tor dog walkers.

Send us your ideas by completing our contact form at https://geca.ca/contact/ or by emailing us at president@geca.ca or info@geca.ca