The method being used to create a Cochrane's Community Vision is being taken on the road by Mayor Jeff Genung in hopes of finding a common tool for municipalities surrounding Calgary to discuss growth plans. 

By getting buy-in from the other urban centres, Genung, who is vice-chair of the Calgary Metropolitan Region Board (CMRB), believes the visioning exercise could provide a valuable starting point for the conversations ahead. 

Genung will be meeting with mayors of Chestermere, Airdrie, Okotoks and High River to discuss what is being completed here and hopes to follow up with a meeting with their full councils. Initial meetings have already been arranged with Airdrie Mayor Peter Brown and Okotoks' Bill Robertson and are currently being finalized with the others. The Community Vision draft has already been given to Rocky View County Reeve Greg Boehlke to keep him informed.

Genung says completing the vision doesn't need to be a long-term process.

"I think we all know what our communities want at a very high level and if we use those four maps we came up with in Cochrane and start to put those same colours into each community then I think we can overlap our maps quickly," says Genung. "We can then get to the point where we can have those conversations without spending a great deal of time recreating the wheel."

It's not intended to become a bone of contention. Rather, it just may a way to clear hurdles currently being faced by the CMRB. Genung says they have been struggling to press forward with the overarching strategy because water issues have been pushed to the forefront.

"That little bit frustrates me because, yes, I understand we need water and we can't have growth without a plan for water, but it doesn't mean we need to stop or slow down our plan. We can still build a really good plan and then fill in the blanks at the back end with water strategies."

"I don't agree with slowing down working together regionally. I'd like to go full steam ahead and continue negotiations and talks. Even the fact that we're meeting together as a region and talking about this is positive. So to slow it down in any way I think is counterproductive."

The Cochrane Community Vision is being divided into five categories: identity, open spaces and natural areas, liveability, vibrant economy and connectivity. It also speaks to potential annexation to expand the boundaries of Cochrane for further residential development, commercial/industrial growth. 

Input from residents is currently being sought on what should be included. An online survey on the Let's Talk Cochrane website continues until June 7. Ahead is a public meeting on May 23 and barbecue on June 6. The town also obtained input during the recent Cochrane trade show.

Upon completion this summer, the Vision will be presented as information to the CMRB.