Jim Uffelmann Park Environmental Study

Project Summary

Recognizing the Park's importance to the community, Cochrane wanted to understand how the park is being used today and what the current environmental conditions are so that the park can be enjoyed for generations to come.

Working with external consultant, EDS Group Inc., Cochrane conducted community engagement, and a geotechnical and environmental assessment to:

• identify any environmentally sensitive areas
• identify any required remediation and mitigation needed
• understand current uses for the Park

Why are we conducting this study?

The study was initiated because of:

• Concerns surrounding the number of conflicts reported to the Town between different recreational uses in the Park
• Visible evidence of bank erosions on the slopes to the Bow River
• A desire to understand the environmental sensitivity of the Park
• Future plans for the TransCanada Trail to include the section of trail through Jim Uffelmann park linking Cochrane to Canmore and Calgary

Who did we engage?

We engaged:

• 12 Town of Cochrane Staff representing 6 departments
• 20 Community Partners and Local Organizations
• More than 1,100 residents through an online survey

How your input was used

Your input was used to understand the current uses for the Park and understand if there were any safety concerns. Your input along with the environmental and geotechnical data was analyzed and taken to Council on February 5 2024.

What We Heard

A public survey and an in-person pop up was conducted to hear from the community. The purpose of the survey was to understand the uses of the Park and to determine if there were any safety concerns. From that survey we heard that the top reasons people currently visit the Park is off-leash dog walking (69%) followed by leisure walking (11%), cycling (7%), natural appreciation (5%) and leisure running (4%). In addition when asked if residents had observed conflicts between recreational use groups at the park a majority (59%) said no. Most park users felt safe or very safe (88%).

The purpose of the in person engagement was to share the results of the site observations conducted by our environmental consultant, inform the public of next steps and collect any additional feedback to share with Council. A majority of respondents agreed with the site assessments, and conversations at the pop up included the following themes:

• Fifteen respondents suggested including fencing (to mitigate river erosion)
• Thirty respondents suggested separating uses along the pathway
• Thirty respondents suggested municipal enforcement
• Ten respondents listed safety concerns
  

Further comments can be viewed in the 'What We Heard' report under documents.

Findings

Overall, the Park and pathways are in good condition and are well suited for the current uses. The environmental assessment showed some significant erosion along the banks of the river. As well the site visit concluded that there were no major safety concerns, although some conflicts were noted, which aligned with public feedback received. A lack of dog parks in Cochrane, and a desire for access to the river were also noted. In addition interpretive signage was suggested and a trail etiquette program. Further findings can be found in the 'What We Heard' report under documents.

Recommendations

The actions recommended to be taken within the Park in the years to come are:

• Maintain the park for dog users and as a multi use space
• Implement erosion mitigation strategies within the Park
• Improve puddling conditions within the Park
• Change Park maintenance practices to ensure trails are considered accessible year round
• Provide lighting on the trail to increase off-peak usage, especially morning and evenings during the wintertime
• Ensure access to the Bow River is maintained for off-leash dogs, and that people can access the Bow River from the east end of the Park under the Jack Tennant Memorial Bridge
• Re-grade upland areas of the Park where surface water flow is concentrated to disperse the flow of water to "sheet flow"