Crossfield

Crossfield is located 45 min northeast of Cochrane at the junction of Hwys 2A and 574. Access into Crossfield is easy as it is also adjacent to Hwy 2, the main north-south corridor between Calgary and Edmonton. You’ll find the town about 20 min north of CrossIron Mills mall in Balzac.

This community’s roots run deep. Mrs. Hannington opened a stopping house, on the Calgary-Edmonton Trail in 1890. Two years later, the C & E Railway linked these two large centres by rail and a siding, 29 miles north of Calgary. That siding became identified as Crossfield, named in honour of Mr. Crossfield, an engineer with the CPR survey crew.

With a population of 2,983 residents, facilities now include a splash park, library, parks, rodeo grounds, curling rink, fish ponds, golf course and wetlands. The Pete Knight Memorial Centre is named after a famous rodeo star. It is a venue for winter sports like minor hockey and hosts a Farmers’ Market.

Pete Knight Days run in early June. It features a Demolition Derby and the Pete Knight Rodeo. The Wild, Wild West! starts at 6pm Friday (1pm on Sat). There’s a dance on both nights at 9pm, a parade on Saturday and fireworks at 11pm.

Numerous services are available in the Town of Crossfield for travellers, including several restaurants, hotel, groceries, pharmacy, gas bars and lots more. However, one of the major retailers in the area became so big that they had to get out of town. You will find Irvine’s Saddles & Western Wear about 6 km NE of Crossfield, and it is worth the drive.

Irvine’s prides itself as being Canada’s Largest Western Store. They were established as a family run business in 2004. With over 100,000 sq ft of retail space, they carry more inventory than most other western stores. You will find everything from western apparel to saddles and from giftware to all your rodeo gear – if it fits the western life-style they have it! (See pg 52)

Where are you heading next? If you’re off to explore Alberta’s Special Areas, head north to Township Rd 292 and follow it and Hwy 575 east, past Acme and Carbon to Drumheller. To learn more be sure to pick up a copy of Experience Southern Alberta. Heading to The Cowboy Trail? Follow Hwy 574 west to Hwy 22 (it’s just a 30 min drive) and then drive north towards Cremona, or south to Cochrane.