A proposal to redevelop a playground at Lochearn Park into residential lots has stirred community concern and debate since it was raised at the Sept. 9 town council meeting.
The plan — which would add 10 residential infill lots on land currently used as green space — has drawn criticism on social media and prompted a formal letter to council from a concerned resident.
The tersely worded letter outlined several worries including reduced property values and diminished access to public parkland in the area.
Dean Krause, the town’s chief administrative officer, said the idea was first explored years ago by a previous council.
A 2017 recreation study commissioned by the town identified an overabundance of playgrounds in Rocky Mountain House and recommended that Lochearn Park be repurposed. William Jessop Park, which is nearby, offers a possible alternative, Krause said.
Typical residential planning has parks spaced one kilometre apart, Krause explained, with Lochearn Park and William Jessop much closer than that.
If a future council chooses to pursue the proposal, Krause noted, the town would be legislatively required to hold public hearings or an open house to gather community input.
Potential infill residential lots at Lochearn Park. (Invistec Consulting Ltd.)
Coun. Ken Moesker acknowledged the proposal has generated strong reactions.
“It is a responsibility of council to represent all ratepayers — not just the loudest or the angriest,” he said. “Some residents have told me they’ve always wondered why there are two parks so close together; others say they’ve never really thought about it.”
While Moesker said he remains neutral, he noted that playgrounds carry operating costs, and leaving the land undeveloped may represent a missed opportunity.
Acting Mayor Len Phillips also addressed the tension surrounding the proposal.
“Obviously, this has been a topic of concern, and residents have been expressing their voices,” he said. “If — big if — it goes ahead, we’ll be having a lot of public engagement and discussion.”
If developed, the lots are expected to be valued at approximately $98,000 each.
With Oct. 7 marking the final council meeting before the Oct. 20 municipal election, any future action on Lochearn Park will fall to the next council.
Coun. Dave Auld, who is not seeking re-election, made a motion to accept the topic as information.
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