Cochrane Polar Bear Habitat survives council vote, but still on endangered list

The polar bear habitat in Cochrane will stay open for at least one more year.

Town council voted Tuesday night to keep putting hundreds of thousands of tax dollars into the struggling tourist attraction.

Councillor Todd Calaiezzi said the town was extending an "olive branch" to the habitat's supporters and board of directors, giving them one year to get the 15-year-old centre on better financial footing.

"The fact of the matter is if we close it tomorrow, we're still going to have to pay $300,000 in this year's budget. I think this puts us on the track to try and recover it," he said.

"Let's give them a year to see what they can do," said Cochrane town councillor Robert Hutchinson.

The lone vote against continuing to fund the habitat was cast by councillor Daniel Belisle.

"They require money forever," he said.

Belisle told council he was concerned that some of the preliminary plans for keeping the habitat open involve adding a hotel and conference centre, which will compete with local businesses. 

"I can't support this facility. I think it should be mothballed. Return the bears to their owners so they can feed them. When the board can come up with $500,000 in bona fide corporate funding from sponsors then I would be in favour of the Town of Cochrane contributing to this worthwhile sanctuary," said Belisle. 

"But until we have cash in our hands, why should the taxpayers be funding a dead horse?"

Cochrane Mayor Denis Clement said he was proud of the debate the community has been having in the past few weeks over the polar bear habitat, including on social media at a series of public meetings.

"It's been a difficult time, it's been a very difficult question. It's an important question that we needed to have an open dialogue and boy did we have an open dialogue," Clement said.

"I do believe that we need to give the board of directors time to put together a business plan."

Cochrane council also voted for the polar bear habitat to no longer be controlled by the town and to be transferred to the board of directors by this time next year.