(Cochrane, AB) - The Town of Cochrane and the Cochrane Lions Club are marking an important milestone in their long-standing relationship with the signing of a 50-year lease agreement for Lions Legacy Park.
Mayor Morgan Nagel and Cochrane Lions Club President Chris Connon signed the agreement at the Fifth Avenue rodeo grounds on September 4, as the Cochrane Lions Club kicked off its 60th annual Labour Day Rodeo.
For more than 60 years, the Cochrane Lions Club has been part of the fabric of the Cochrane community, with the Fifth Avenue lands serving as home to the Lions Rodeo and community activities for generations.
The next chapter for the site began on February 5, 2025, when the Cochrane Lions Club presented Council with its vision for Lions Legacy Park. Since then, the Town and the Lions have worked together to develop a long-term legal agreement that supports continued community use of the lands, provides clarity around responsibilities and future investment, and creates opportunities to thoughtfully advance the site over time.
“This is a historic moment for Cochrane and one that Council approached with both enthusiasm and a strong sense of community pride” said Mayor Morgan Nagel. “For more than 60 years, the Cochrane Lions have demonstrated their commitment to this community through service, volunteerism and bringing people together. A 50-year agreement is a significant commitment, and we are confident this agreement builds on that history while creating opportunities for the Town and the Lions to continue working together as Lions Legacy Park evolves. We are excited about what the next 50 years will bring.”
The agreement provides the Cochrane Lions Club with the long-term certainty needed to invest in Lions Legacy Park while maintaining the Town’s ownership of the lands and establishing clear expectations for their operation, development and continued community benefit.
Recognizing that Cochrane and the needs of its residents will continue to evolve over the next five decades, Council directed that milestones be incorporated into the agreement. These milestones create opportunities for the Town and the Lions to come together throughout the term of the lease, review progress and collaboratively plan for the next stages of Lions Legacy Park.
“The Lions have always been about service, community and leaving things better for the generations that follow us. Lions Legacy Park is an opportunity to put those values into action. This 50-year agreement gives us the foundation to continue building our vision together with the Town, one milestone at a time. We’re incredibly proud of how far this partnership has come and excited about what we can accomplish together over the next 50 years,” said Chris Connon, President, Cochrane Lions Club.
The agreement recognizes the important role community organizations and volunteers play in shaping Cochrane and reflects a shared commitment to responsible stewardship of community lands. It also provides the long-term stability needed to support future planning and investment while ensuring the Town and the Lions remain partners as the site develops.
Signing the agreement is an important milestone, but it is not the completion of Lions Legacy Park. It marks the beginning of the next chapter for the site and a commitment by both organizations to continue working together as milestones are reached, investments are made and the park evolves over time.
With more than 60 years of community service behind the Cochrane Lions Club and a 50-year agreement ahead, the Town and the Lions look forward to continuing a partnership grounded in community service, responsible stewardship and a shared commitment to Cochrane.
-30-