Cochrane's closest competitor for the $50 million prize from the Smart Cities Challenge is just beyond our horizon.

The City of Calgary has launched a multi-phase public consultation in preparation of their 50-word statement.

On Thursday, Mayor Naheed Nenshi tweeted "Help us win $50 million!" as the city prepares to enter the race for the big prize Cochrane also has its eye on.

In phase one, they are asking Calgarians to submit their own 50-word statement. It will be followed by a second phase of rating the challenges and then sharing ideas prior to the city making its submission by the Apr. 24 deadline.

"You know what needs to be done and have the innovative spirit to help identify and address issues facing our community. Let’s work together to make our community stronger and create opportunities for all Calgarians," states their webpage dedicated to their submission.

Read the full story at cochranenow.com.