Operator - Parks & Open Spaces

Town Of Cochrane; Town of Cochrane; On-site; CAD 4,877,000 - 5,024,000; Full time

Job summary

The Town of Cochrane is seeking a full-time Parks and Open Spaces Operator to maintain parks, open spaces, cemeteries, sports fields and pathways across more than 500 hectares.

You will operate and maintain irrigation, machinery, and grounds equipment, supervise seasonal staff, and help ensure safe, high-quality public spaces for residents and visitors.

Qualifications

• Three to five years of experience in a park or municipal environment with related certification.
• Experience operating and maintaining equipment.
• Valid Alberta Class 5 Driver’s License required.
• Ability to lead and work independently in a team setting.
• Knowledge of maintenance, landscaping and construction tasks.

Responsibilities

• Maintain parks, open spaces, cemeteries, and related facilities.
• Operate chainsaws, brush cutters, and other grounds equipment.
• Supervise seasonal staff and contractors.
• Inspect parks and assets for safety and compliance.

Skills

Mechanical aptitude

Problem solving

Team leadership

Independent work

Safety awareness

Physical fitness

Driver's license

Education

Horticultural/Arborist/Turfgrass/Irrigation/Cemetery/Landscaping certification

Job description

Job Description

Posted Tuesday, August 25, 2026 at 8:00 AM | Expires Wednesday, September 9, 2026 at 7:59 AM

Cochrane is located in the breathtaking Bow Valley corridor in the foothills of the Rocky Mountains in southern Alberta. With a population of over 37,000 people, and growing steadily every year, Cochrane is a thriving town, surrounded by world-famous ranch country. Our western heritage is reflected in the Town’s architecture and our friendly people. The Town of Cochrane welcomes innovative and skilled individuals to join our team of over 250 employees.

Cochrane is excited to recruit a full-time Parks and Open Spaces Operator.

Do you have experience working within a municipal park environment, a golf course, or within a landscaping environment; and experience operating/maintaining equipment? We are looking for talented individuals to join our team!

Our Parks and Open Spaces team proudly maintains over 500 hectares of land as parks and open spaces. Residents and visitors enjoy nearly four dozen parks (many with playgrounds), summer fishing in trout ponds, outdoor skating in winter, and over 80 kilometers of pathways all year round. Parks and Open Spaces also maintains three cemeteries, many sports fields and dog off-leash areas.

We are looking for an operator with a minimum of 3-years’ experience in a municipal park or landscaping environment.

The successful candidate has at least one of these certificates: Degree or Diploma in Horticulture, Turfgrass Management Diploma, ISA Arborist Certification, Landscape Horticulturist Apprenticeship.

Why should you consider working for us?

Our employees enjoy many benefits including competitive pay, comprehensive health and dental benefits package, professional learning and development opportunities and the opportunity to work with other talented municipal professionals.

As an organization, Cochrane has a focus on investing in people. This is not a boring municipality. We are growing into an organization with a focus on transparency, critical thinking, curiosity, reflection, and innovation. We support experimentation as part of the growth process and strive for continuous improvement. We are municipal employees, and we are accountable to all the residents of Cochrane. Want to be a part of this exciting time?

As a Parks and Open Spaces Operator you will:

• Performs the day-to-day maintenance and operations as per standards and best practices of, parks and open spaces, urban forestry, in-ground and potted horticultural displays, outdoor rinks, cemeteries, sports fields, playgrounds, pathways, irrigation systems, historical resource site, downtown streetscapes, skateboard park and river and stream riparian areas.


• Specific duties include, but not limited to, spring and fall clean up, garbage collection, mowing, line trimming, weeding, flower/perennial planting, litter picking, burial/cremation plot preparation, tree/shrub pruning, sports field marking, fertilizing, overseeding, infrastructure repairs, snow clearing, ice control, irrigation diagnosis and repairs.


• Perform construction and maintenance tasks; operate chainsaws and brush cutters, plant, prune, and remove small trees as per ISA standards and best practices.


• Performs construction and maintenance tasks pertaining to sport field operations, including ball diamonds, soccer/rugby pitches and court sports. Ensures that scheduled users have access to sports fields; lock and unlock parks, answers questions from the public and sports players regarding sports field usage and park regulations.


• Provide guidance for day-to-day operations of seasonal staff and contractor services.


• Respond and investigate citizen inquiries and participate in resolving operational concerns.


• Perform weekly, monthly, and annual park, playground and skatepark inspections and audits for the purpose of safety, operational efficiencies, asset data collection, life cycling and inventory control.


• Fiscally responsible for day-to-day expenses incurred in the operation and maintenance of the Town of Cochrane Parks and Open Spaces.


• Maintain equipment and hand tools utilized in daily tasks.


• Participate in the on-call rotation and provide emergency assistance when required.

QUALIFICATIONS, SKILLS & ABILITIES

Required:

• 3 – 5 years of experience in a park or municipal environment and Horticultural/Arborist/Turfgrass/Irrigation/Cemetery/Landscaping certification.


• Experience operating and maintaining equipment.


• Mechanical aptitude and basic problem-solving skills.


• Requires a valid Alberta Class 5 Driver’s License.


• Clean Criminal Record, including vulnerable sector security clearance.


• Physically able to perform required duties.


• The ability to direct and lead others.


• Ability to work independently and in a team environment.


• Knowledge of methods, materials and equipment used in performing routine maintenance, landscaping, and construction tasks.

Preferred:

• Municipal experience


• Class 3 with Q endorsement


• A pesticide applicators certificate or other Green Industry designations


• Standard First Aid and CPR/AED


• WHMIS


• Safe Trenching, Excavation and Ground Disturbance
  
• Cargo Securement


• Fall Protection Comprehensive


• Alberta Temporary Traffic Control


• Flag Person

Cochrane is committed to providing a healthy and safe work environment for all its employees. As an employee you must take reasonable care to protect your health and safety and that of others present at worksites, perform work safely, follow all relevant health and safety legislation, directives and procedures and attend all identified orientations and training.

The hourly rate for this position is between $35.40/hr and $36.47/hr and is a unionized position through Teamsters Local Union 987

We thank all applicants for their interest, however only those selected for an interview will be contacted. All applicants must be legally entitled to live and work in Canada.

Land Acknowledgement In the spirit of reconciliation, we acknowledge that we live, work and play on the traditional territories of the Blackfoot Confederacy (Siksika, Kainai, Piikani), the Tsuut’ina, the Îyâxe Nakoda Nations, the Métis Nation (Region 3), and all people who make their homes in the Treaty 7 region of Southern Alberta.