Proponents of a new seniors’ housing facility to replace the crumbling Big Hill Lodge in Cochrane are making mid-course corrections to their plans in the hope of convincing the provincial government the project is worthy of moving to the front of the line for Budget 2025.
For years, the Town of Cochrane had planned on setting aside a parcel of land adjacent to the Lions Event Centre on First Ave. as the sire of a new facility, and had worked with The Rocky View Foundation to prepare proposals for provincial government consideration.
They were all surprised and disappointed to learn last year that the 2024 provincial budget contained no funding for a new lodge.
Town council emerged from an in-camera session on Oct. 15 to endorse a motion to direct Administration to work with the Foundation on a new proposal that would combine a new seniors lodge with some affordable housing options to be located on the site of the old town hall on the corner of Highway 1A and Centre Ave.
Genung said changing tack on the approach now might increase their chances of success in convincing the province to push the project to the front of the line.
“I think the short answer is we are trying to solve an issue of getting the Big Hill Lodge built as soon as possible. The land at the old town hall site, I think, puts us in the best position to get shovels in the ground as soon as possible.
“The former town hall site is serviced," he added. "It has everything that facility would require without having to invest. That piece of property puts us in position with the province to get funding sooner rather than later and get the project done.”
The mayor said after last year’s disappointment, he was now cautiously optimistic.
“You know, once bitten, twice shy," he stated. "I'll believe it when I see it and I'm not going to stop pushing until we see it in the budget and we see shovels in the ground."
Under the best-case scenario, the doors to a new lodge could theoretically be opened to residents about two years after receiving funding.
Genung had meetings scheduled this week with Airdrie-Cochrane MLA and Minister of Infrastructure Peter Guthrie and Seniors and Affordable Housing Minister Jason Nixon.
When word got out about the new suggested location, some critics cited the proximity to the highway as a problem, from a noise perspective.
Genung said those types of discussions haven’t taken place yet, but he’s not overly concerned.
“I think there's landscaping and architectural designs that can help mitigate those fears. So I'm not too worried about that,” he said.
“It will be in collaboration with Rocky View Foundation on where it goes on the property, and how the concepts are developed," Genung added. "But I'm confident that we can come up with a solution that will fit the needs of seniors. I understand that they would rather be centrally located, closer to amenities. This site provides that.”
The current lodge was built in 1977 and is showing its age. While structurally sound at this point, there are signs of fatigue, including cracks in the walls. The lodge had significant shifting back in 2020, making the need for a new building all the more imperative.
Coun. Susan Flowers, a member of the Foundation, was cautiously optimistic last year the Town was going to get good news in the 2024 spring budget, before ultimately being disappointed. She said this new approach, which could combine some affordable housing with a new lodge, just might meet the province’s preference for innovative approaches.
“We’re going to look at it, anyway,” she said. ‘We’re thinking outside the box a little more. We’ve got to get some funding.”
