The landmark playground came first at Sky Ranch

The lineups were long, but as the kids made their way toward the spectacular Lookout Playground at Sky Ranch, their eyes and smiles grew wide. They had one thing on their minds: play.

The new Lookout Playground at Sky Ranch, just north of Cochrane, is already proving to be a popular destination — even before the first homes in the new residential community have been completed.

Built for Day One

JL Developments CEO Jesse LaFrance says the vision for the playground began about 18 months ago, with the development team touring playgrounds across southern Alberta before finding the Volo Aire in Vancouver.

Surrounded by youth and his family, JL Developments CEO Jesse LaFrance made his speech short before recruiting help to cut the ribbon. Cochrane Now/Noel Edey

“Our philosophy and approach to community building is to, rather than promising something in five or 10 years, really promise something to the broader community on day one. So rather than envisioning what life may be like in Sky Ranch, we wanted this community and this sense of place to be here from day one for families,” says LaFrance, who brought two of his own children to the opening.

He says having amenities in place early can also help prospective residents picture what life will actually be like in the community.

“It’s really hard for young families or downsizers and new homeowners looking to envision what life is like in a new community. And we found that this is a wonderful opportunity for us to showcase and build something that was deserving of Cochrane Lake,” LaFrance says.

A playground that draws a crowd

The response suggests the playground is already helping create that sense of place.

Between 40 and 60 families a day had been visiting the playground in the days leading up to Thursday’s official grand opening, despite the park not yet being formally open.

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That enthusiasm was also evident during the playground tester program.

The original 100 spots for children to test the new playground filled almost immediately, prompting JL Developments to add another 200 spots. Those additional spaces were also quickly claimed.

“We would have never expected that type of feedback from the community,” LaFrance says.

The official testers received teddy bears, a gift bag, snacks and refreshments. And there were even roses for mom. Cochrane Now/Noel Edey

Besides oodles of fun, youth received teddy bears, gift bags, snacks and refreshments… and there were even roses for Mom.

The three-storey playground features Alberta’s first Volo Aire climbing tower, along with a 20-foot-high accessible slide, multiple climbing routes, slides, swings and other features designed to encourage children to explore the structure in different ways.

LaFrance says the playground itself represents an investment of close to $2 million.

The design also incorporates features intended to fit with the area’s natural surroundings, including glowstones that provide subtle nighttime illumination while remaining dark-sky compliant.

The steel structures feature laser-etched silhouettes of the mountains, while the rubber safety surfacing incorporates the developer’s interpretation of the renowned Three Sisters.

A playground close to home

The playground also has a personal connection for LaFrance, who has three children under the age of five.

LaFrance says his children have already been enjoying the playground, although his daughter had one small complaint about the design.

“She’s still upset. I told her that this playground couldn’t be purple and pink, but I told her next time we’ll do our best,” LaFrance says with a laugh.

More than an amenity

Sky Ranch is being developed on 118 acres in the Cochrane Lake Hamlet, about 2.5 kilometres north of Cochrane.

The first phase includes 254 lots across seven builders, with the full community planned to eventually include 646 homes across seven housing types.

LaFrance says the playground is intended to be more than an amenity for future residents, and he believes it could become a destination for families from throughout the area as word spreads.

For LaFrance, however, the most important measure of success is whether children want to return.

“At the end of the day, what really matters is the children and what they think of this playground,” he says.