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Horse Creek Sports Park in Cochrane: What’s Planned

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Horse Creek Sports Park in Cochrane: What’s Planned

North of Heritage Hills, the Town of Cochrane and Rocky View Schools are working on a large recreation site with a future high school beside it. It's called Horse Creek Sports Park. Buyers ask us about it a lot, so here's a plain look at what's decided, what's funded, and what still isn't.

Nothing here is a promise about timelines, property values or when kids will go to school there. These projects move when Council and the province fund them.

Where it is

The park sits on a quarter section right north of Heritage Hills, at Horse Creek Road and Township Road 262. If you're looking at homes in Heritage Hills or West Hawk, you're next door to this site. Township Road 262 was upgraded and reopened in December 2025.

The land deal and the school partnership

This has been a joint Town and Rocky View Schools idea since about 2015. Rocky View Schools bought about 160 acres with a high school in mind. In June 2024, Cochrane Council approved a purchase agreement for 130 acres plus a school-site agreement, for a total of $1,575,560 from the Municipal Infrastructure reserve.

In practice, the Town leads the servicing so the school land is ready when the province says go. The Town gets the rest of the land for the sports park. The high school parcel is on the west side. Rocky View Schools has set aside about 28.8 acres for it.

Town of Cochrane stage plan for Horse Creek Sports Park showing the future high school site along Horse Creek Road, Stage 1 quad ball diamonds, washroom and parking along Township Road 262, and later phases with athletic fields and trails
Stage plan for Horse Creek Sports Park and the future high school site (June 2025). Stage 1 is the quad diamonds, washroom, partial parking and pathways; the labels show funding status as of June 2025, before the 2026 budget. Image: Town of Cochrane

What got done in 2025

In June 2025, Council approved borrowing $10.83 million, plus $600,000 from municipal reserves, for a total of $11.43 million. That paid for site servicing and grading, getting the Rocky View Schools land ready, and detailed design for Stage 1 of the park. It did not build the diamonds and fields.

In 2025 the Town completed stripping and grading, utility servicing for the future high school, water and sanitary stubs for later phases, and the start of the storm pond. The Heritage Hills developer finished the Township Road 262 work. No park amenities were built. In 2026 the Town is finishing smaller site work like topsoil, seeding and clean-up.

Stage 1: diamonds first

Stage 1 is the first piece people will actually use. The Town has prioritized four ball diamonds, a washroom building, part of the parking lot, and pathways. Local coverage has noted that only three diamonds may open first, with the fourth tied to an environmental setback for woodpecker nests.

The Town's Final 2026 Budget includes money for those early amenities: the slo-pitch diamonds, irrigation, fencing, pathways, furnishings, a serviced washroom, landscaping and parking. The budget targets game play in 2027. It also sets aside $350,000 to plan the next amenity phase after the Parks, Culture and Active Living Master Plan is done.

The Town's project page is still clear this is a multi-year build. Full build-out of every field on the long-term concept is not funded yet. Later phases depend on Council, available money, and what the Master Plan says the town needs most.

The longer concept (not a build list)

An older Town concept plan from July 2021 shows a bigger vision: soccer and rugby fields, outdoor hockey rinks, a clubhouse, bike facilities, playgrounds and multi-purpose courts. That plan says the layout only shows intent and can change. Treat it as a picture of what might come later, not a schedule. There is no indoor arena in Stage 1.

Town of Cochrane July 2021 concept master site plan for Horse Creek Sports Park showing soccer and rugby fields, ball diamonds, a clubhouse with hockey rinks, bike park, trails, storm ponds and a school parcel
Concept master site plan, July 2021. This is a long-term concept only and the layout may change. Image: Town of Cochrane (Urban Systems)

The future high school

Rocky View Schools wants a Grades 9 to 12 school here with room for about 1,525 students. In March 2026, the Province announced design funding for that high school. Design funding means they can design it. It is not construction funding, and Rocky View Schools still lists the opening date as to be determined.

Until a school is actually built, high school students from Heritage Hills stay under the current Rocky View Schools boundaries. For the addresses we've checked, that's Cochrane High today.

What this means if you're buying nearby

If you're looking in Heritage Hills, including West Hawk, this site matters because it's right next door. Buyers who play ball, or who want kids close to future fields and a future high school, often like being near a project like this. That does not mean prices go up, and we won't pretend it does. It's one more thing to weigh with commute, view, builder and where the kids go to school today.

A few honest caveats

Stage 1 diamonds and a washroom are in the 2026 budget with a 2027 play target. That is still a target, not a guarantee. Full park build-out is not funded. The high school has design money only. Concept drawings change, so check the Town and Rocky View Schools pages for the latest.

Want help looking in this part of town?

If you're comparing Heritage Hills, West Hawk or other northwest Cochrane streets and want to know how this park and school site fits your search, call or text us. We can walk the area with you and tell you what's open versus what's still on paper.

Wayne & Sean Burton · REMAX West Real Estate · 403-850-1058 · burtonrealestate.ca

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