Foothills residents will have to wait until Heritage Day before getting their first chance to enjoy Champion Park.
The park was donated to the Town of Okotoks and the MD of Foothills in September by Gerald Knowlton. Located on the east side of Highway 2 near the Saskatoon Farm, the 54-acre property is home to an historic train station and a collection of Canadian Pacific train cars, including a mail car, some outbuildings, a pond and open park space.
Knowlton, who owned and developed his collection for the past 38 years, decided to donate the park to the two municipalities for the public to enjoy and maintain. The transaction was complete on Jan. 1 and the property is now officially co-owned by Okotoks and the MD.
Okotoks community services director Susan Laurin said the full transition from privately-owned land to a public park is a lengthy process.
“There are certain standards we need to have in place before it can become a public facility,” said Laurin. “Once we open up to the public we have to take into account health and safety issues, as well as security.”
She said a society is currently being formed to manage the park on behalf of the two municipalities, similar to how the Crescent Point Regional Field House is operated.
The society will oversee the park and develop a five-year plan for its transition from private property to a public facility, she said.
“We’re looking at, if we were to turn it from a private park, somebody’s private yard and collection, into something public, what resources do we need to do that,” said Laurin.
The cost to maintain the park and create programs will be studied as part of the planning process, she said.
It will likely take the entire year to make those decisions, she said. In the meantime, the park will remain closed to the public except for one event on Heritage Day 2017 (August long weekend), which will allow people to visit the site and take in Champion Park.
Other public events, tours and educational opportunities will be gradually added over the next five years, she said.
“It just takes time to make that transition,” said Laurin. “It takes time and it takes resources, and it’s very difficult to pull off in a short timeframe.”