Bike Cochrane is a vibrant organization with plenty of infrastructure projects and activities up its sleeves for the coming season.

Further information will be available this Thursday night (Apr. 28) at a membership drive event at the Rocky View Brewing, 420 1 St. W., that starts at 7 p.m.

"With the last two years of COVID, it's one of the first opportunities we've had to really get together as a community to celebrate biking and really kick off the season," says Paul Perrault, director of operations for the nonprofit organization. "We're very excited about all the different things we've got on the go this year."

They've recently teamed up with the town to make an application for federal funding to improve connectivity on sections of the town's existing pathway system as well as replace the town's outdated traffic and cycle control bylaws with a new multimodal traffic bylaw.

That was only the tip of the iceberg.

At the social gathering, you can expect to hear more about new bike parks, additional trails, and a further expansion of their programs.

"This is the first year, we've had enough volunteer support to run group rides. We'll be doing group gravel rides, group road rides as well as group mountain bike rides this season."

For the second year in a row, they've sold out their youth mountain bike camp being held in May on their private Buffalo Bean Trail, located on the grounds of the Cochrane and District Agriculture Society.

"This year it took us only five hours to sell out that camp, so we know that's a very exciting project. Parents are happy to see their kids learn how to mountain bike a bit safer and stronger."

That 2.5 km loop has a 120m elevation gain and is named after the wildflower that populates the area in the early spring. It's only available for use by club members.

Its popular LaunchPad bike park on Bow St. in the Quarry is currently closed and will reopen when weather permits. Using it now will mean more time and money spent conditioning it for use.

"We know the public is excited to use it, but we've got to wait."

While Bike Cochrane is focused on making the Cochrane area more bike-friendly, there's a spinoff for all users of local pathways and trails.

"Anytime you're improving connectivity, access for what we call all ages, all abilities, all-weather, you're really increasing the ability of residents to choose how they want to get around," he says.

Plenty more insight will be available Thursday night. It includes a silent auction fundraiser with many tempting items.