Cochrane, Alberta

Cochrane /ˈkɒkrən/ is a town in the Canadian province of Alberta. The town is located 18 km (11 mi) west of the Calgary city limits along Highway 1A. Cochrane is one of the fastest growing communities in Canada, and with a population of 34,467 in 2021, it is one of the largest towns in Alberta. It is part of Calgary's census metropolitan area and a member community of the Calgary Metropolitan Region Board (CMRB). The town is surrounded by Rocky View County.

Cochrane
Town
Town of Cochrane
Overview of Cochrane
Motto(s): 
How the West is Now
Boundaries of Cochrane
Cochrane
Location in Rocky View County
Cochrane
Location in Alberta
Coordinates: 51.189°N 114.467°W / 51.189; -114.467
CountryCanada
ProvinceAlberta
Metropolitan areaCalgary
Planning regionSouth Saskatchewan
Municipal districtRocky View County
Incorporated[1] 
 • VillageJune 17, 1903
 • TownFebruary 15, 1971
Government
 • MayorJeff Genung
 • Governing body
 • CAODave Devana
 • MPBlake Richards (Cons – Banff—Airdrie)
 • MLAPeter Guthrie (UCP) – Cochrane-Airdrie)
Area
 (2016)[3]
 • Land29.83 km2 (11.52 sq mi)
Elevation1,159 m (3,802 ft)
Population
 (2021)[3]
 • Total34,467
 • Density866.7/km2 (2,245/sq mi)
 • Municipal census (2020)
34,467[5]
Demonym(s)Cochranite[6]
Time zoneUTC−07:00 (MST)
 • Summer (DST)UTC−06:00 (MDT)
Forward sortation area
T4C
Area code(s)+1-403, +1-587
Highways Hwy 1A
Hwy 22 Cowboy Trail
RailwaysCanadian Pacific Railway
WebsiteOfficial website

History

Cochrane was established in 1881 as the Cochrane Ranche, after Matthew Henry Cochrane, a local rancher. It became a village in 1903[7] and it had a newspaper and volunteer fire department by 1909.[8] Cochrane incorporated as a town in 1971.[7]

Geography

Cochrane is situated at the base of Big Hill in the Bow River Valley. It sits at an elevation of 1,186 m (3,891 ft). 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 windsports, golfing, hiking and other adventure activities.

Cochrane is also a small industrial centre. Major industries include lumber, construction, retail, and agriculture (ranching). 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 from the area, who take advantage of its 7% grade and 3.5 km (2.2 mi) distance.

Neighbourhoods

The following neighbourhoods are located within Cochrane.[9]

  • Bow Meadows
  • Bow Ridge
  • Cochrane Heights
  • Downtown
  • East End
  • Fireside
  • Glenbow
  • GlenEagles
  • Heartland
  • Heritage Hills
  • Jumping Pound Ridge
  • Riversong
  • Riviera
  • Riverview
  • Sunset Ridge
  • The Willows
  • West Pointe
  • West Terrace
  • West Valley

Demographics

The population of the Town of Cochrane according to its 2019 municipal census is 29,277,[32] a change of 4.7% from its 2018 municipal census population of 27,960.[33] 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.[34]

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 47.1% change from its 2011 population of 17,580. With a land area of 29.83 km2 (11.52 sq mi), it had a population density of 866.7/km2 (2,244.7/sq mi) in 2016.[3]

In the 2011 Census, the Town of Cochrane had a population of 17,580 living in 6,523 of its 6,824 total dwellings, a 27.8% change from its 2006 population of 13,760. With a land area of 30.03 km2 (11.59 sq mi), it had a population density of 585.4/km2 (1,516.2/sq mi) in 2011.[21]

Arts and culture

Cochrane Ranche provided the corral setting for the 1954 National Film Board of Canada documentary Corral, 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.[35]

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:

  • Chamber of Commerce Trade Fair: Early May
  • Canada Day (July 1)[36]
  • Cochrane and Area Events Society, with support from the Town of Cochrane presents the Canada Day Community Celebration:[37] Canada Day (July 1)[36]
  • Labour Day Rodeo & Parade: Labour Day weekend, the parade grows every year. In 2019 the parade had over 80 floats participate.
  • Terry Fox Run: September
  • Christmas Lightup: Late November
See also: List of festivals in Alberta

Government
  • Municipal politics

Cochrane has a town council consisting of an elected mayor and six councillors elected at-large. 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 16, 2017, the town council consists of mayor Jeff Genung and councillors Marni Fedeyko, Susan Flowers, Tara McFadden, Morgan Nagel, Alex Reed, and Patrick Wilson.[38]

  • 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 in the House of Commons. 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, and the Greater Southern Alberta Catholic Francophone Region #4 (CSCFSA).

As of 2008, there were nine 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: 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 6-8
    • Manachaban School: Grades 6-8
    • 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

Transit

On October 7, 2019 the town launched 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 not unlike Uber. 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

References
  1. "Location and History Profile: Town of Cochrane" (PDF). Alberta Municipal Affairs. June 17, 2016. p. 162. Retrieved June 19, 2016.
  2. "Municipal Officials Search". Alberta Municipal Affairs. September 22, 2017. Retrieved September 25, 2017.
  3. "Population and dwelling counts, for Canada, provinces and territories, and census subdivisions (municipalities), 2016 and 2011 censuses – 100% data (Alberta)". Statistics Canada. February 8, 2017. Retrieved February 8, 2017.
  4. "Alberta Private Sewage Systems 2009 Standard of Practice Handbook: Appendix A.3 Alberta Design Data (A.3.A. Alberta Climate Design Data by Town)" (PDF) (PDF). Safety Codes Council. January 2012. pp. 212–215 (PDF pages 226–229). Retrieved October 8, 2013.
  5. Kevin Ma (September 18, 2020). "Morinville cracks 10,000 residents". St. Albert Gazette. Great West Newspapers. Retrieved September 19, 2020.
  6. "Way more than a ton". Cochrane Times. Canoe Sun Media. 2012-09-30. Archived from the original on 2016-03-03. Retrieved 2012-10-06.
  7. "History of Cochrane". Town of Cochrane. Archived from the original on April 21, 2012. Retrieved December 9, 2012.
  8. Read, Tracy (1983). Acres and Empires : a history of the Municipal District of Rocky View no. 44. p. 65. Archived from the original on 2017-03-03. Retrieved 2013-05-26.
  9. "Neighbourhoods | Cochrane, AB - Official Website". www.cochrane.ca. Retrieved 2016-02-05.
  10. "Table IX: Population of cities, towns and incorporated villages in 1906 and 1901 as classed in 1906". Census of the Northwest Provinces, 1906. Sessional Paper No. 17a. Ottawa: Government of Canada. 1907. p. 100.
  11. "Table I: Area and Population of Canada by Provinces, Districts and Subdistricts in 1911 and Population in 1901". Census of Canada, 1911. Volume I. Ottawa: Government of Canada. 1912. pp. 2–39.
  12. "Table I: Population of Manitoba, Saskatchewan, and Alberta by Districts, Townships, Cities, Towns, and Incorporated Villages in 1916, 1911, 1906, and 1901". Census of Prairie Provinces, 1916. Population and Agriculture. Ottawa: Government of Canada. 1918. pp. 77–140.
  13. "Table 8: Population by districts and sub-districts according to the Redistribution Act of 1914 and the amending act of 1915, compared for the census years 1921, 1911 and 1901". Census of Canada, 1921. Ottawa: Government of Canada. 1922. pp. 169–215.
  14. "Table 7: Population of cities, towns and villages for the province of Alberta in census years 1901-26, as classed in 1926". Census of Prairie Provinces, 1926. Census of Alberta, 1926. Ottawa: Government of Canada. 1927. pp. 565–567.
  15. "Table 12: Population of Canada by provinces, counties or census divisions and subdivisions, 1871-1931". Census of Canada, 1931. Ottawa: Government of Canada. 1932. pp. 98–102.
  16. "Table 4: Population in incorporated cities, towns and villages, 1901-1936". Census of the Prairie Provinces, 1936. Volume I: Population and Agriculture. Ottawa: Dominion Bureau of Statistics. 1938. pp. 833–836.
  17. "Table 10: Population by census subdivisions, 1871–1941". Eighth Census of Canada, 1941. Volume II: Population by Local Subdivisions. Ottawa: Dominion Bureau of Statistics. 1944. pp. 134–141.
  18. "Table 6: Population by census subdivisions, 1926-1946". Census of the Prairie Provinces, 1946. Volume I: Population. Ottawa: Dominion Bureau of Statistics. 1949. pp. 401–414.
  19. "Table 6: Population by census subdivisions, 1871–1951". Ninth Census of Canada, 1951. Volume I: Population, General Characteristics. Ottawa: Dominion Bureau of Statistics. 1953. p. 6.73–6.83.
  20. "Table 6: Population by sex, for census subdivisions, 1956 and 1951". Census of Canada, 1956. Population, Counties and Subdivisions. Ottawa: Dominion Bureau of Statistics. 1957. p. 6.50–6.53.
  21. "Population and dwelling counts, for Canada, provinces and territories, and census subdivisions (municipalities), 2011 and 2006 censuses (Alberta)". Statistics Canada. 2012-02-08. Retrieved 2012-02-08.
  22. "Table 6: Population by census subdivisions, 1901–1961". 1961 Census of Canada. Series 1.1: Historical, 1901–1961. Volume I: Population. Ottawa: Dominion Bureau of Statistics. 1963. p. 6.77–6.83.
  23. "Population by specified age groups and sex, for census subdivisions, 1966". Census of Canada, 1966. Population, Specified Age Groups and Sex for Counties and Census Subdivisions, 1966. Ottawa: Dominion Bureau of Statistics. 1968. p. 6.50–6.53.
  24. "Table 2: Population of Census Subdivisions, 1921–1971". 1971 Census of Canada. Volume I: Population, Census Subdivisions (Historical). Ottawa: Statistics Canada. 1973. p. 2.102–2.111.
  25. "Table 3: Population for census divisions and subdivisions, 1971 and 1976". 1976 Census of Canada. Census Divisions and Subdivisions, Western Provinces and the Territories. Volume I: Population, Geographic Distributions. Ottawa: Statistics Canada. 1977. p. 3.40–3.43.
  26. "Table 4: Population and Total Occupied Dwellings, for Census Divisions and Subdivisions, 1976 and 1981". 1981 Census of Canada. Volume II: Provincial series, Population, Geographic distributions (Alberta). Ottawa: Statistics Canada. 1982. p. 4.1–4.10. ISBN 0-660-51095-2.
  27. "Table 2: Census Divisions and Subdivisions – Population and Occupied Private Dwellings, 1981 and 1986". Census Canada 1986. Population and Dwelling Counts – Provinces and Territories (Alberta). Ottawa: Statistics Canada. 1987. p. 2.1–2.10. ISBN 0-660-53463-0.
  28. "Table 2: Population and Dwelling Counts, for Census Divisions and Census Subdivisions, 1986 and 1991 – 100% Data". 91 Census. Population and Dwelling Counts – Census Divisions and Census Subdivisions. Ottawa: Statistics Canada. 1992. pp. 100–108. ISBN 0-660-57115-3.
  29. "Table 10: Population and Dwelling Counts, for Census Divisions, Census Subdivisions (Municipalities) and Designated Places, 1991 and 1996 Censuses – 100% Data". 96 Census. A National Overview – Population and Dwelling Counts. Ottawa: Statistics Canada. 1997. pp. 136–146. ISBN 0-660-59283-5.
  30. "Population and Dwelling Counts, for Canada, Provinces and Territories, and Census Divisions, 2001 and 1996 Censuses - 100% Data (Alberta)". Statistics Canada. Retrieved 2012-04-02.
  31. "Population and dwelling counts, for Canada, provinces and territories, and census subdivisions (municipalities), 2006 and 2001 censuses - 100% data (Alberta)". Statistics Canada. 2010-01-06. Retrieved 2012-04-02.
  32. "Cochrane's population continues to grow". Town of Cochrane. May 28, 2019. Retrieved June 8, 2019.
  33. "2018 Municipal Affairs Population List" (PDF). Alberta Municipal Affairs. December 2018. ISBN 978-1-4601-4254-7. Retrieved July 18, 2019.
  34. "Municipal Government Act". Alberta Queen's Printer. Retrieved September 5, 2012.
  35. "Corral". NFB.ca. National Film Board of Canada. Retrieved 2009-09-01.
  36. "Archived copy". Archived from the original on 2011-07-06. Retrieved 2010-09-09.CS1 maint: archived copy as title (link)
  37. Canada Day Community Celebration
  38. "Members of Council | Cochrane, AB - Official Website". www.cochrane.ca. Retrieved 2018-05-03.
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