Cochrane ( ) is a town in the
Calgary Metropolitan Region
The Calgary Metropolitan Region (CMR), also commonly referred to as the Calgary Region, is a conglomeration of municipalities centred on Calgary, the largest city in Alberta.
With the Government of Alberta's establishment of the Calgary Metropo ...
of
Alberta
Alberta ( ) is one of the thirteen provinces and territories of Canada. It is part of Western Canada and is one of the three prairie provinces. Alberta is bordered by British Columbia to the west, Saskatchewan to the east, the Northwest Ter ...
, Canada. The town is located west of the
Calgary
Calgary ( ) is the largest city in the western Canadian province of Alberta and the largest metro area of the three Prairie Provinces. As of 2021, the city proper had a population of 1,306,784 and a metropolitan population of 1,481,806, makin ...
city limits along
Highway 1A. Cochrane is one of the fastest-growing communities in Canada, and with a population of 32,199 in 2021, it is one of the
largest towns in Alberta. It is part of Calgary's
census metropolitan area
The census geographic units of Canada are the census subdivisions defined and used by Canada's federal government statistics bureau Statistics Canada to conduct the country's quinquennial census. These areas exist solely for the purposes of sta ...
and a member community of the
Calgary Metropolitan Region Board (CMRB). The town is surrounded by
Rocky View County
Rocky View County is a municipal district in southern Alberta, Canada that is named for its views of the nearby Rocky Mountains to the west. It surrounds most of Calgary, forming the city's northern boundary and most of the city's western and e ...
.
History
Cochrane was established in 1881 as the Cochrane Ranche, after
Matthew Henry Cochrane, a local rancher. It became a village in 1903
and it had a newspaper and volunteer fire department by 1909. Cochrane incorporated as a town in 1971.
[
]
Geography
Cochrane is situated at the base of Big Hill in the Bow River
The Bow River is a river in Alberta, Canada. It begins within the Canadian Rocky Mountains and winds through the Alberta foothills onto the prairies, where it meets the Oldman River, the two then forming the South Saskatchewan River. These w ...
Valley. It sits at an elevation of . The town is intersected by Highway 1A and Highway 22. Cochrane has a reputation for its western culture, which can easily be felt when one wanders the streets (particularly Main Street). The town is a popular destination for ice cream and coffee in its quaint western-oriented stores as well as for windsport
A windsport is any type of sport which involves wind-power, often involving a non-rigid airfoil such as a sail or a power kite. The activities can be land-based, on snow, on ice or on water. Windsport activity may be regulated in some countries ...
s, golf
Golf is a club-and-ball sport in which players use various clubs to hit balls into a series of holes on a course in as few strokes as possible.
Golf, unlike most ball games, cannot and does not use a standardized playing area, and coping wi ...
ing, hiking
Hiking is a long, vigorous walk, usually on trails or footpaths in the countryside. Walking for pleasure developed in Europe during the eighteenth century.AMATO, JOSEPH A. "Mind over Foot: Romantic Walking and Rambling." In ''On Foot: A Histor ...
and other adventure activities.
Cochrane is also a small industrial centre. Major industries include lumber, construction, retail, and agriculture
Agriculture or farming is the practice of cultivating plants and livestock. Agriculture was the key development in the rise of sedentary human civilization, whereby farming of domesticated species created food surpluses that enabled people to ...
(ranch
A ranch (from es, rancho/Mexican Spanish) is an area of land, including various structures, given primarily to ranching, the practice of raising grazing livestock such as cattle and sheep. It is a subtype of a farm. These terms are most often ...
ing). It is notable as being one of very few communities in Canada with no business tax.
The hill is also a popular training ground for cyclists
Cycling, also, when on a two-wheeled bicycle, called bicycling or biking, is the use of Bicycle, cycles for transport, recreation, Physical exercise, exercise or sport. People engaged in cycling are referred to as "cyclists", "bicyclists", ...
from the area, who take advantage of its 7% grade and distance.
Neighbourhoods
The following neighbourhoods are located within Cochrane.
* Bow Meadows
* Bow Ridge
* Cochrane Heights
* Downtown
* East End
* Fireside
* Glenbow
* GlenEagles
* Greystone
* Heartland
* Heritage Hills
* Jumping Pound Ridge
* Precedence
* Rivercrest
* Riversong
* Riviera
* Riverview
* Rolling Range Estates
* Rolling Trails
* Southbow Landing
* South Ridge
* Sunset Ridge
* The Willows
* West Pointe
* West Terrace
* West Valley
Demographics
In the 2021 Census of Population conducted by Statistics Canada
Statistics Canada (StatCan; french: Statistique Canada), formed in 1971, is the agency of the Government of Canada commissioned with producing statistics to help better understand Canada, its population, resources, economy, society, and cultur ...
, the Town of Cochrane had a population of 32,199 living in 12,096 of its 12,578 total private dwellings, a change of from its 2016 population of 25,853. With a land area of , it had a population density of in 2021.
The population of the Town of Cochrane according to its 2019 municipal census is 29,277, a change of from its 2018 municipal census population of 27,960. At its current population, Cochrane is one of the largest towns in the province and is eligible for city status. According to Alberta's ''Municipal Government Act'', a town is eligible for city status when it reaches 10,000 residents.
In the 2016 Census of Population conducted by Statistics Canada, the Town of Cochrane recorded a population of 25,853 living in 9,757 of its 10,225 total private dwellings, a change from its 2011 population of 17,580. With a land area of , it had a population density of in 2016.
Arts and culture
Cochrane Ranche provided the corral setting for the 1954 National Film Board of Canada
The National Film Board of Canada (NFB; french: Office national du film du Canada (ONF)) is Canada's public film and digital media producer and distributor. An agency of the Government of Canada, the NFB produces and distributes documentary f ...
documentary ''Corral
A pen is an enclosure for holding livestock. It may also perhaps be used as a term for an enclosure for other animals such as pets that are unwanted inside the house. The term describes types of enclosures that may confine one or many animal ...
'', by Colin Low, whose father had worked as a foreman at the ranch. This film played theatrically across Canada and was named Best Documentary at the Venice Film Festival
The Venice Film Festival or Venice International Film Festival ( it, Mostra Internazionale d'Arte Cinematografica della Biennale di Venezia, "International Exhibition of Cinematographic Art of the Venice Biennale") is an annual film festival he ...
.
Cochrane houses attractions such as Cochrane Ranche Historic Site and Bert Sheppard Stockmen's Foundation Library And Archives, located in the Cochrane Ranchehouse.
Cochrane is home to many annual events each year:
* Pumpkin lantern festival: October
* Chamber of Commerce Trade Fair: Early May
* Canada Day
Canada Day (french: Fête du Canada), formerly known as Dominion Day (french: Fête du Dominion), is the national day of Canada. A federal statutory holiday, it celebrates the anniversary of Canadian Confederation which occurred on July 1, 18 ...
(July 1)
* Cochrane and Area Events Society, with support from the Town of Cochrane presents the Canada Day Community Celebration: Canada Day (July 1)
* Labour Day Rodeo & Parade: Labour Day
Labour Day ('' Labor Day'' in the United States) is an annual holiday to celebrate the achievements of workers. Labour Day has its origins in the labour union movement, specifically the eight-hour day movement, which advocated eight hours for ...
weekend. In 2019 the parade had over 80 floats participate.
* Terry Fox Run
The Terry Fox Run is an annual non-competitive charity event held around the world to raise money for cancer research
in commemoration of Canadian cancer activist Terry Fox and his Marathon of Hope.
The event was founded in 1981 by Isadore Shar ...
: September
* Christmas Light-up: Late November
Government
*Municipal politics
Cochrane has a town council consisting of an elected mayor and six councillors elected at-large
At large (''before a noun'': at-large) is a description for members of a governing body who are elected or appointed to represent a whole membership or population (notably a city, county, state, province, nation, club or association), rather than ...
. Councillors are elected by the eligible electors by voting for up to six candidates and the six receiving the largest number of votes being elected. The position of deputy mayor is rotated through the councillors over their term. Elections are held on the third Monday in October every fourth year.
As of October 19, 2021, the town council consists of mayor Jeff Genung and Councillors Susan Flowers, Patrick Wilson, Morgan Nagel, Marni Fedeyko, Tara McFadden, Alex Reed.
*Provincial politics
Cochrane is located within the provincial electoral division of Airdrie-Cochrane. It has been represented in the Alberta Legislature by UCP MLA Peter Guthrie since the 2019 provincial election.
*Federal politics
Cochrane is located in the federal electoral district of Banff-Airdrie and is represented by Blake Richards
Blake Richards (born November 8, 1974) is a Canadian politician. He has been a Conservative Member of Parliament since 2008, having been elected to represent the now defunct electoral district (or riding) of Wild Rose in the October 14, 200 ...
in the House of Commons
The House of Commons is the name for the elected lower house of the bicameral parliaments of the United Kingdom and Canada. In both of these countries, the Commons holds much more legislative power than the nominally upper house of parliament. ...
. He also represented Cochrane from 2008-2015 as the MP for the federal electoral district of Wild Rose. He replaced long standing MP Myron Thompson, who was originally elected as a member of the Reform Party in 1993.
Education
Cochrane is home to schools from the public Rocky View School Division No. 41, the separate Calgary Catholic School District
Calgary Roman Catholic Separate School District No. 1 or the Calgary Catholic School District (CSSD) is the Roman Catholic separate school board in Calgary, Alberta, Canada. It also serves the neighbouring communities of Airdrie, Chestermere, ...
, and the Greater Southern Alberta Catholic Francophone Region #4 (CSCFSA).
As of 2022, there were twelve public and separate schools in operation within the town boundaries.
*Rocky View School Division No. 41
** Cochrane High School: Grades 9–12
**Bow Valley High School
Bow Valley High School is a public secondary school located in the township of Cochrane, Alberta, Canada. The school falls under the jurisdiction of the Rocky View Schools. The school's enrollment is approximately 800 to 900 students, in grades ...
: Grades 9–12
**Rancheview School: Kindergarten, Grades 1-8
**Elizabeth Barret Elementary School: Kindergarten, Grades 1–4
**Glenbow Elementary School: Kindergarten, Grades 1–4
**Mitford School: Grades 5-8
**Manachaban Middle School, Manachaban Middle School Grades 5-8
**Cochrane Christian Academy: Kindergarten, Grades 1-8
**Fireside School: Kindergarten, Grades 1-7
*Calgary Catholic School District
**Holy Spirit: Kindergarten, Grades 1–6
** St. Timothy: Grades 7–12
**Nôtre Dame Des Vallées: Kindergarten, Grades 1–8 (French-Catholic school GSACFR#4 or CSCFSA)
In November 2006 the Rocky View School Division accepted a proposal by the Cochrane Christ-Centred Education Society to set up a Protestant Christian education program in Cochrane. The Cochrane Christian Academy opened its doors at Mitford Middle School in September 2007, offering kindergarten to grade 4. Approval for expansion to include grade 5 for the 2008–09 school year was given by the board of trustees in April 2008.
There are two trustees (one from each board) elected to represent Cochrane Schools at their respective boards.
The Greater Southern Alberta Catholic Francophone Region #4 has one trustee for the Region from Cochrane.
Cochrane is also home to the Canadian Southern Baptist Seminary, the flagship seminary of the Canadian National Baptist Convention, the Canadian branch of the largest US Protestant denomination.
Notable people
*Rob Cote
Rob Cote (born July 5, 1986, in Calgary, Alberta) is a retired Canadian football fullback, who played 10 years for the Calgary Stampeders of the Canadian Football League. He was originally signed by the Calgary Stampeders as an undrafted free age ...
, professional football player
* Justin Dowling, professional ice hockey player
*George Fox
George Fox (July 1624 – 13 January 1691) was an English Dissenter, who was a founder of the Religious Society of Friends, commonly known as the Quakers or Friends. The son of a Leicestershire weaver, he lived in times of social upheaval and ...
, musician
*Ethan Gage
Ethan Gage (born May 8, 1991) is a Canadian soccer player who currently plays for Victorian State League Division 1 side Caroline Springs George Cross FC.
Club career
Youth
Born in Cochrane, Alberta, Gage won a gold medal with Alberta at the ...
, professional soccer player
*Mason Raymond
Mason Evan Raymond (born September 17, 1985) is a Canadian former professional ice hockey winger who played in the National Hockey League (NHL) with the Vancouver Canucks, Toronto Maple Leafs, Calgary Flames and the Anaheim Ducks. He represente ...
, professional ice hockey player
* Dillon Dubé, professional ice hockey player
*Paul Brandt
Paul Rennée Belobersycky (born July 21, 1972), known professionally as Paul Brandt, is a Canadian country music artist. Growing up in Calgary, he was a pediatric RN at the time of his big break. In 1996, he made his mark on the country music c ...
, musician
*John Hufnagel
John Coleman Hufnagel (born September 13, 1951) is the president and general manager of the Calgary Stampeders of the Canadian Football League. He was previously the Stampeders' head coach and played quarterback for fifteen professional seasons ...
President And GM of Calgary Stampeders
The Calgary Stampeders are a professional Canadian football team based in Calgary, Alberta. The Stampeders compete in the West Division of the Canadian Football League (CFL). The club plays its home games at McMahon Stadium and are the third-old ...
Transit
On October 7, 2019 the town launche
COLT
(Cochrane On-Demand Local Transit). An app based local transportation service by bus to convey commuters throughout the community. After many years of debate of having a transit service that best suits the town, COLT was born out of the need for transit and the financial responsibility of app based service. The service currently runs 6 a.m.-8 p.m. on weekdays, 9 a.m.-3 p.m. on Saturdays. The town plans to adjust the schedule only as needed. Currently there are over 100 stops located across Cochrane.
See also
*List of communities in Alberta
The province of Alberta, Canada, is divided into ten types of local governments – urban municipalities (including cities, towns, villages and summer villages), specialized municipalities, rural municipalities (including municipal district ...
References
External links
*
{{Authority control
1903 establishments in the Northwest Territories
Populated places established in 1903
Calgary Region
Rocky View County
Towns in Alberta