With two meetings under their belt, the tri-site advisory group is now preparing for an extensive public consultation on how Cochrane should utilize three public properties in the core downtown.

The first step of the nine-member tri-site advisory group (plus a nonvoting chair) is to garner input from groups that might be interested in contributing to the development of concepts for the tri-site. Those three properties are in relatively close proximity. The largest is the 5th Ave. lands, but there's also one acre next to the library on Railway St. and a parcel just across the way. 

An online survey is now available on the town's Let's Talk site that asks a series of questions. It also welcomes groups to make a presentation to the committee at one of their two delegation days on July 26 and Aug. 23 or participate in what's called a "Round-Up" event on Sept. 12. August 10 is the deadline for responding to the survey.

Mayor Jeff Genung has called the determination of how these public lands are used as the most important decision facing town council, sans transportation corridors.

Town councillor Susan Flowers, nonvoting committee chair, also sees it as a great opportunity for the town.

"Not selling any of this land was really important and it's going to stay as community service land," says Flowers. "So what's the best use of it? Let's figure it out and build something that is a real gem in the downtown of our community."

She encourages groups or individuals to bring forward their ideas, whether they are new or old. The committee has brainstormed a long list of groups it feels might be interested. While only eight groups have been booked so far, she expects many more will be added as word gets out. Each will get a 20-minute time slot that will be followed by a question period. They will fill out a form in advance so the committee has some hard data on hand.

"It will be interesting to see how many people would like to come forward and meet with us."

The delegations sessions will be held incamera because some sensitive information may be shared on finances of the groups, says Flowers.

"Once we have all that done and talk to as many people as we can at the markets and other places, we're going to bring it all together and develop our filter of what that's going to look like and start grouping things together that could be possibilities."