Massive throughput grain terminals, towering glass highrises, and sprawling subdivisions are evidence of the modernization of Alberta. Over the past decade, as the province experienced its oil boom and tens of thousands moved to the province, development surged and the old gave way to the new.
The near complete loss of the prairies’ iconic grain elevators – 1,755 were built by 1934 and fewer than 200 remain today – is a testament to progress’ unstoppable march forward.
Similarly, our community has a history that dates back more than 130 years and with the exception of the Historic Cochrane Ranche site, little evidence from that time remains. The town is still rich in history, however. Our Historic Downtown offers a glimpse of what Cochrane looked like back in the days of the Wild West.
MacKay’s Ice Cream, loved by residents and tourists alike, sits in the oldest building downtown. Built at the end of the 19th century, MacKay’s was originally a general store before it became a favourite hangout for sweet treats in 1946.
Trailblazers, housed in what was once Anderson’s General Store, occupies one of the four oldest buildings downtown – dating back to 1928 when patrons hitched horses to poles instead of trying to find a place to park their trucks and SUVs. The Rockyview hotel and the Heavenly Outhouse building built around 1904 and 1907, respectively, add to the historic charm of the district.
Preserving that heritage is vital to not only maintaining our town’s character, which can be whitewashed by modern-day architecture, but also in retaining a connection to our past. Knowing our history and keeping the link between then and now strong is essential to building a sense of community identity and forging strong bonds between subsequent generations.
The Town of Cochrane has a plan that will hopefully enhance the Historic Downtown experience. Ideas such as creating more gathering spaces, adding public washrooms and a banner program, might bring more foot traffic to the historic district.
Gordon Davies, president of the Cochrane Historical & Archival Preservation Society (CHAPS), said in a recent interview that the downtown has become more of a tourist destination than a place where town and country residents shop.
With the addition of big box and chain stores that is not surprising, as people turn to cheaper deals and move away from specialized boutiques. With that in mind, the town must consider the goals of a revitalization project carefully. Is the objective to preserve an important connection to history or is it to help draw more people to stores in the historic downtown?
Unfortunately, it is unlikely any amount of beautification or enhancement to the district will improve business there. That is, and always has been, decided by market conditions. It is ultimately up to Cochranites to decide whether they will support historic downtown businesses and there are many factors that will play into that decision.
As an investment into cultural and historic preservation, the revitalization has a lot of merit. It would be a shame to ignore an important link to our history and have it fade away like we have seen with rural grain elevators, which were once apart of the prairies’ identity.
