On Dec. 15, the City acquired 185 acres of land in northeast Airdrie for $10.44M with the intention to develop a regional park, benefiting Airdrie’s growing population. The land was chosen based on its natural conditions, location and access.
“We’re excited about this park land, which will be the largest of its kind in the City and will create immense opportunities for Airdrie,” said Mayor Peter Brown. “People of all ages will be exploring this beautiful, natural wilderness for generations to come.”
Although planning of the regional park has not begun, approximately 75 acres of land will be preserved as a natural and treed area. The 185 acres of land has been in the Hamilton family since 1972 and has been primarily used for crops and cattle grazing.
“Dad [Hugh Hamilton (a prominent philanthropist and influential leader in the Airdrie business community)] would have liked that the integrity of the land is being preserved,” said Myles Hamilton. “He used to say that it was the highest point in Airdrie, so it will be special for Airdrie residents to enjoy that view as well.”
The City went through a rigorous land acquisition process including a Historical Resource Impact Assessment (HRIA), which looks for archaeological sites, paleontological sites, historic buildings and other structures. The City also completed other technical studies, including groundwater tests, a geotechnical study and other land-based assessments.
Funding for the land acquisition was approved in the 2018 capital budget. Costs for future land development were presented to Council in the 10-year capital plan.
Public engagement and master planning will begin in 2022. Input from the community will help us prioritize amenities and create a staged phased development plan that will be implemented over several years. In the interim, the land will NOT be available for public use. It will continue to be leased to farmers and ranchers to ensure the land is productive while park planning work is completed.
Project updates can be found at airdrie.ca/regionalpark as they become available. Questions about the project can be directed to corporate.properties@airdrie.ca.
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Media contact:
Bob Neale
Manager, Capital Projects and Infrastructure
403.948.8800 ext. 8447