A request for a formal endorsement from Cochrane town council to proceed with a letter of support for the land transfer of Conseil scolaire FrancoSud’s proposed secondary school site has been deferred.
During the regular council meeting on April 14, council unanimously voted in favour of a motion to delay the endorsement until after a public hearing is conducted.
The letter of support would indicate the Town of Cochrane’s backing in the transfer of interest for property located at 136 Quigley Dr. to FrancoSud. It would also support the eventual transfer of interest once provincial funding for school construction has been approved.
“The administration had been in discussion about this project for about two years, as well as Rocky View Schools and the Calgary Catholic School District,” said Coun. Marni Fedeyko. “But the people who haven’t been a part of it are council and the community. I want those discussions with the biggest stakeholders this project affects, which are the people living within that area.”
Fedeyko said she has spoken with more than 25 residents who were “not impressed” with how the proposal was presented.
“They’re not against the school,” she said. “They’re against how this process has come forward.”
The initial timeline involved first securing council’s support, then using the letter to apply for provincial funding. That funding would go toward the planning and design phase, which was to begin with two public engagement sessions to gather input. A refined plan would then be submitted for development permit approval. Once approved, FrancoSud planned to host an open house before beginning construction.
“This was a surprise to the neighbours around, and we got a lot of letters about the project in the past few days—both positive and negative,” said Coun. Susan Flowers.
Council continued to explore the option of prioritizing public engagement before giving formal support.
“I need to be convinced that we couldn’t have a conditional offer, having done public engagement first,” said Coun. Alex Reed.
However, according to Chief Administrative Officer Mike Derricott, “it is incredibly unlikely that the province will fund a project without the commitment of land.”
“Conditional commitment is not commitment in the province’s eyes regarding school sites,” he said. “I think we can do public engagements first, but that just delays the process. It will also be up to the school board whether they are willing to undertake the cost without the certainty of the site and other outcomes.”
Through the discussion, it was estimated that the public hearing will add about six weeks minimum to the overall timeline. Without delays, the school had been projected to open in fall 2029.
During a committee-of-the-whole meeting on April 7, a report was presented to council outlining the need for a Francophone secondary school in Cochrane.
“The Francophone school in Cochrane is almost at full capacity,” said Stephan De Loof, FrancoSud’s executive director for facility services, planning and transportation. “Cochrane has a clear advantage over other municipalities competing for funding to build a school because the site we propose is shovel-ready.”
Council acknowledged the need for increased school capacity in the town.
“Our schools are bursting at the seams,” said Coun. Morgan Nagel. “Cochrane continues to grow very quickly, and we need to grab any opportunity to get funding for school projects as soon as possible.”
Still, council members emphasized the importance of community involvement before moving forward with the proposed build on Quigley Drive.
“We all know we need school sites, and it’s tough to get funding for that,” said Coun. Tara McFadden. “However, it doesn’t feel that the community has had an honest opportunity to get up to speed and be heard with their concerns.”
Moving forward, FrancoSud will work with the Town’s administration to connect with stakeholders, gather input and identify concerns before the public hearing is scheduled.
