Cochrane Cemetery (Rocky View County)

Cochrane Cemetery is one of three cemeteries in Cochrane managed by the Town of Cochrane staff. In addition to the Cochrane Cemetery, the Town also manages St. Mary’s and St. Andrew’s cemeteries. All three cemeteries occasionally capture and inter decedents from the surrounding communities of Rocky View County. St. Mary’s and St. Andrew’s Cemeteries are currently closed to new plot sales, but continue to accommodate interments within pre-purchased (reserved) plots.

In 2016, the Town of Cochrane commissioned a long term Cemetery Master Plan from Lees and Associates, a cemetery planning organization. In November 2016, they issued a publicly available report to the Town, viewable at https://cochrane.ca/DocumentCenter/View/3404/Cochrane-Cemetery-Master-Plan. Key take-aways from the report, for the purpose of this write-up, are as follows:

The Cochrane Cemetery opened in 1996, and is approximately 20% developed. The cemetery property has a number of opportunities including: an existing wooded area, desirable mountain views, good drainage and potential for trail connections to popular walking destinations. Key constraints include wind, large subsurface boulders, unscreened spoil piles, and a lack of character-defining elements, seating, and benches. Following rigorous analysis, the report estimated that the Town’s cemeteries can expect approximately 300 new casket (25%) interments and 900 new cremated remains (75%) interments through to year 2040.

Lees observed the following stakeholder findings during their consultation phase:

Internal Stakeholders who attended the site visit and staff workshop noted a desire for a diversification of products and services, optimization of mountain view, opportunities for cremation infill at the historic cemeteries and enhanced connections between the three cemetery sites.
External Stakeholders who attended the workshops expressed a desire for the cemetery to be more “park-like,” inclusion of multi-purposes spaces with connections to trails and walking routes, new interment and memorialization options with a range of price points, and more character-defining elements.
Members of the public who attended the Open House expressed strong overall support for the proposed concept plan and draft bylaw presented. Attendees noted a desire to consider increased traffic and crime within the cemetery precinct, and to prioritize development of walking paths, new interment options, and a new Field of Honour and cenotaph.