Participants in the process to name the new Cochrane to Calgary trail through the Bow Valley will not have to wait much longer.
The contest is down to two finalists, and the winner will be revealed as soon as the final vetting is complete.
Trail Steering Committee member Daniel Kroffat said the committee was expecting maybe 300 entries, and was astounded when they received well over 1,000 submissions.
"We thought 500 would be over the moon – we ended up with more than 1,300," he said.
The plans for a trail running through the Glenbow Ranch Provincial Park through to Calgary have been more than a decade in the making. The soon-to-be-named trail will run alongside the river and offer views of the Rocky Mountains. A $10 million pedestrian bridge is part of the plan.
The Cochrane Rotary Club will be overseeing the trail project and is looking to partner with local businesses and organizations to raise funds and awareness to build it.
Eventually, the Rotary's vision is to see the trail form a loop that goes through the Tsuut'ina Nation lands, West Bragg Creek, Sibbald Flats, and into Canmore, or come back through Stoney Nakoda First Nation lands. Once Phase 1 to Calgary is complete, the hope is to eventually link up with the Legacy Trail in Canmore.
The new trail should attract more bikers to Cochrane, many of whom may be reluctant to ride along Highway 1A.
Kroffat said momentum for the project continues to grow, and community members will see more related activities coming up in the future, including a seniors' movie night, and a community dinner.
A family-oriented Bike-A-Thon is also planned for the Canada Day weekend.
The winner of the Name the Trail contest will not only earn bragging rights and a legacy trail-head marker, but they’ll also be treated to a one-night stay in a Canmore inn, with breakfast included.
