Signage

Digital Signs

The Town has community digital signs at two locations:

  • Fifth Ave and Glenbow Dr
  • Griffin Rd across from the Protective Services Centre

If you represent a local non-profit or community organization, you may request space on the digital signs to help promote your programs and events. Communications staff layout, upload and schedule all digital sign content.

Request space on the digital signs

Please note:

  • Submit requests at least two weeks in advance
  • No requests accepted more than six months in advance
  • Space on signs is available on a first-come, first-served basis
  • The Town of Cochrane reserves the right to bump any message for an urgent Town message.

Street art

Panels

The metal panels on Fourth Avenue just south of Main Street were created by Little Monkey Metalworks and depict scenes of the Cochrane area similar to the ones on the street banners (descriptions below). The panels were unveiled in March 2017 and are part of Cochrane's Historic Downtown Enhancement Project.

Banners

Town Roads and Communications worked with representatives from Cochrane Tourism and Economic Development as well as designers from Bond Creative to develop a theme and topics.

Fourth Street Art

The group decided that honouring our history was the right thing to do, so after a lot of discussion and research, Bond designed six banners that are alternated on light posts on our main thoroughfares.

The banners were manufactured by Little Monkey Metalworks in Okotoks, and are powder-coated steel: they are durable, nearly completely weatherproof, long-lasting and attached securely; with the cut-out portions, they will easily let our Cochrane wind through.

The banners were unveiled during Centre Avenue opening celebrations in September 2013, and then installed along Fifth Avenue and Main Street.

First Nations Street Banner

First Nations
We consulted with local artist Roland Rollinmud and identified Chief Walking Buffalo (Tatanga Mani) as the right figure to represent Cochrane’s relationship with our First Nations neighbours. Walking Buffalo was born in Morley on March 20, 1871 and died on December 26, 1967. In his 96 years, Walking Buffalo worked tirelessly to promote forgiveness, peace and understanding among all peoples. He travelled the world with a message that still resonates: “Stop hating each other and start being brothers the way the Great Spirit intended.” Walking Buffalo’s regalia resides at the Whyte Museum of the Canadian Rockies in Banff.

Industry Street Banner

Industry
If it wasn’t for the railway, Cochrane might not be here, at least not in this location. Canadian Pacific Railway granted the town site in 1885 and named it in honour of Senator Matthew Henry Cochrane, the man who established the Cochrane Ranche in 1881. Before World War I, Cochrane was home to a stone quarry, dairy, creamery, sawmill and brickyards, all industries that relied on the railway for their success. Even though those industries are no longer operating here, CP still uses the line that runs through Cochrane; it’s part of the main east-west route across Canada.

Pioneering women Street Banner

Pioneering women
Cochrane’s Men of Vision statue in the Cochrane Ranche is a tribute to everyone who settled here and worked on the land. The Pioneering Women street banner honours the role of women in those challenging times and the importance of families in the growth and success of Cochrane and area. Some of those pioneering women were matriarchs of important Cochrane families whose descendants still live here and contribute to the community today.

Ranching Street Banner

Ranching
Given that the Town of Cochrane is named after the first large-scale rancher in the area, it makes sense that ranching is represented on Town banners. Ranches in and around Cochrane raised cattle and horses and grew crops; they attracted workers, families, adventurers, visionaries and investors of all types. There are working ranches in this area that continue the ranching way of life.

Rodeo Street Banner

Rodeo
Early ranch workers took many of their everyday tasks and turned them into competitive events. Rodeos were held everywhere men (and sometimes women) worked with horses and cattle. Modern rodeos include saddle bronc riding, bareback riding, bull riding, steer wrestling, roping and ladies barrel racing - the only ladies event in pro rodeo. The Cochrane Lions’ Labour Day Rodeo has been held here since 1968.

Senator Cochrane Street Banner

Senator Cochrane
Senator Matthew Henry Cochrane was an industrialist, livestock breeder and politician from Lower Canada who established the 109,000-acre Cochrane Ranche in 1881 - the largest ranching operation in Western Canada. Despite a significant investment in land and livestock, and government support (low-cost grazing rights on crown lands and duty exemptions), the first two years were difficult. The ranching operating became less and less viable, and in 1888, the property was subdivided and sold as homesteads.