(Cochrane, AB) – The Town of Cochrane is celebrating the near completion of an innovative partnership with the University of Calgary's School of Architecture, Planning and Landscape (SAPL). This partnership supports the implementation of the Age-Friendly Cochrane Action Plan 2025-2029, a long-term initiative to help people live well, stay connected and age with dignity in the community they call home.
Supporting Action One in the Action Plan: “Promoting age-friendly design in outdoor spaces,” the partnership explores how parks, pathways, streetscapes and civic spaces can better support independence, accessibility and belonging for people of all ages and abilities.
"The Town of Cochrane is committed to creating public spaces that are accessible, welcoming and responsive to the needs of a growing and diverse community,” says Michelle Ambrose, Director, Parks & Active Living, Town of Cochrane. “Through our partnership with the University of Calgary, we have been able to explore innovative approaches to age-friendly landscape design and translate research into practical guidance that can inform future parks, pathways, civic spaces and public realm projects. This collaboration strengthens our ability to create spaces that support independence, social connection and quality of life for residents of all ages."
Through research led by University of Calgary graduate students, the project provides practical recommendations rooted in universal design principles and leading practices to help inform the Town of Cochrane's Landscape Design Standards and Guidelines. The recommendations consider physical accessibility alongside sensory, cognitive, social and environmental experiences, recognizing that thoughtfully designed public spaces contribute to healthy aging, stronger communities and greater environmental resilience.
The partnership gave students the opportunity to work alongside municipal staff and community partners in researching more about Cochrane’s topography, amenities and outdoor spaces. Global precedents support their recommendations and Cochrane’s unique needs, which allows them to provide the Town with both Cochrane-specific and leading industry practices in age-friendly landscape design.
"Through this project, we are exploring age-friendly design from a broader landscape perspective. Alongside physical accessibility, we are considering the sensory, cognitive, social, and environmental qualities that shape people's experiences of public spaces. The project also looks at how public landscapes can better support biodiversity, ecological processes, and climate resilience, recognizing that these spaces are shared by people, wildlife, and natural systems. By bringing age-friendly and ecological perspectives together, we hope to broaden how public spaces are understood and designed," said Enrica Dall'Ara, Associate Professor and Associate Dean, Planning + Landscape Architecture, University of Calgary.
Recognized by the Government of Alberta as a Provincially Designated Age-Friendly Community in November 2025, Cochrane continues to advance initiatives that make it easier for residents to stay active, connected and engaged as they age. The recommendations from this project will help inform future planning and decision-making as the Town continues implementing its Age-Friendly Action Plan.
For more information about Age-Friendly Cochrane and the Age-Friendly Action Plan, visit cochrane.ca/agefriendly.
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