Show All Answers

1. Are there any public washrooms in town?

Yes, there are public washrooms in a few locations:

Visitor Information Center, downtown at 521 First St W (just east of Fifth), open 7 days a week 10am-5pm.

There are also washrooms open daily May to September, weather permitting, at the Cochrane Ranche Historic Site (Hwy 1A east of Hwy 22) and Mitford Pond Park (west end of West Rock Road off of Hwy 22).

2. Are there any outdoor skating rinks in Cochrane?

Yes! As soon as the colder weather permits, Parks staff actively work on establishing two outdoor skating areas:

1. Tim Bannister Memorial Outdoor Rink, 324 Ross Ave
2. Mitford Pond, 201 West Rock Rd; access by the parking lot at the west end of West Rock Rd.  The pathway through Mitford Park is connected to the 70+km Town pathway system

Both are maintained for ice skating as long as the weather allows. Lights are on nightly until 10pm. Always call the 24-hour Facility Status Line for updates before you head out: 403-851-2552.

3. How do I book a sports field?

Contact us at 403-851-2590 to book a ball diamond or soccer/rugby field; fees apply.

4. Can I have an event in a Town park?

A Festival and Events permit is required to host any event in a Town park. Please call 403-851-2535 for more information.

5. Can I have a bench or picnic table dedicated to a loved one?

If you would like to honour a loved one, family or group with a bench or picnic table in a Town park, you can purchase a piece of park furniture and have it installed by Town Parks staff, complete with bronze plaque. Find out more or apply.

6. Can I garden or mow the greenspace next to my home?

No gardening or other encroachment is allowed on Town land unless authorized. This helps Town staff preserve the natural beauty, native elements and overall integrity of these areas. Property owners who appear to be gardening or otherwise encroaching on a Town park, pathway or open space will be required to remedy the situation at their own expense.
Not sure if you’re encroaching? If it’s outside your fence, it’s Town land.

7. Can I use a Town park any time of day?

According to the Parks and Open Spaces Bylaw, you may not be in any Town park between the hours of 11 pm and 5 am. There is no overnight camping or parking allowed in the parks.

8. What if I need access to my property through a park or a pathway?

A permit is required to access your property through a Town park or pathway. Contact us at least 72 hours before you need access 403-851-2590 or parks@cochrane.ca

Please be prepared with information such as the type, size and weight of vehicle being used, materials to be transported, and the length of time required to complete the work. All permits are weather dependent. There is no charge for the permit. Permits are assessed on an individual need basis.

9. Is there any fishing in Cochrane?

Fishing is permitted at Mitford Pond. Mitford Pond is stocked annually with trout. Anglers 13 years old and younger are allowed to use bait and keep one trout per day. All other anglers 14 years and older, must release their catch and use single barbless hooks on their lures or flies, absolutely no bait. A license is required by any person 16 or over. There is no night or ice fishing permitted.

10. I am doing some landscaping, who do I call to flag utility lines on my property?

If you are doing some landscaping, please contact Alberta One-Call at 800-242-3447 to flag the utility lines on your property at least two full days before you plan to dig.

11. Can I skate on a stormwater facility?

There are no circumstances in which stormwater facilities are safe for walking, skating or any other use: the surface may look solid, but changes underneath present a significant danger. Stormwater facilities are not formed naturally. They are specifically created to take run-off from local streets and filter it before it flows into the river.

There are a number of reasons they are not safe:

• inlet and outlet pipes keep water continuously flowing beneath the frozen top layer
• the ice surface varies in depth across the whole surface. It may appear thick in some areas, but other areas may have little or no ice —you won’t be able to tell by looking
• snow often obscures holes in the inconsistent icesalt content in the runoff from roads impedes the water’s ability to freeze (remember: this is salt used to melt ice on the roads)
• Town crews actually lower the water level under the ice to reduce H2S gas levels. This creates a dangerous air pocket between any ice that has already formed and the top of the water