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