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Two new commemorative crosswalks honouring Canadian military veterans will be installed in Airdrie this summer as part of the city’s Veterans Memorial Project.
According to a June 3 council report accepted for information, the crosswalks will be painted in two locations: adjacent to Field of Valour Park and on 1st Avenue NE in front of the Airdrie Legion Branch building.
The initiative follows requests made to the City through the mayor’s office, on social media, and directly from both the Royal Canadian Legion and the Army, Navy and Air Force Veterans in Canada (ANAVETS).
"In the fall of 2024, after the Veterans Crosswalks were unveiled in the Town of Cochrane, the City of Airdrie received feedback from the community through the Mayor’s Office and social media as to why the City of Airdrie does not have Veterans Crosswalks," the June 3 council report states. "Both the Legion and the Army, Navy and Air Force Veterans in Canada (ANAVETS) also reached out with the same request."
The decision to proceed with both installations is final, and no further council approval is required.
Completion expected by Remembrance Day
Administration confirmed both locations will be completed in summer 2025 and will be delivered under the existing scope of the Veterans Memorial Project. According to the report, "The Veterans Memorial Project including Veterans Crosswalks will be completed in summer 2025 in time for the Remembrance Day ceremony."
The City estimates the cost to paint each crosswalk at approximately $12,000 to $14,000. Funding will be drawn from the existing project budget.
Designed to honour, reflect and be seen
"The Veterans Crosswalks are an enhancement of the Veterans Memorial Project and align with the goal of the initiative to honour and recognize Airdrie’s Veterans in a highly visible way, while driving and walking by, becoming a visual focal point in the community," the report states.
Veterans Crosswalks are symbolic installations that visually honour military service and sacrifice. Designs in other municipalities typically include military imagery, the maple leaf, or the phrase "Lest We Forget."
The report notes that "the Canadian Legion (national) has recently designed a standard crosswalk design template that could easily be used and reapplied periodically," but adds that Cochrane-style designs remain an option. "The preferred design will be chosen based on consultation with the Legion and ANAVETS."
Cochrane’s 2024 crosswalk included alternating red and white paint, a silhouette of a soldier, and the phrase "Lest We Forget." The design leads directly to the town’s cenotaph.
Each location selected for historical and community significance
The first Airdrie crosswalk will be placed adjacent to Field of Valour Park, which includes the City’s cenotaph and the Gapyeong War Memorial. According to the report, "It leads to the Field of Valour Park which contains the Cenotaph and the Gapyeong War Memorial and will recognize the almost 200 veterans living in Airdrie today." The crossing is within a school zone and will require the removal and repaving of existing zebra markings.
The second crosswalk will be installed on 1st Avenue NE, directly in front of the Airdrie Legion. The report states that "it is an ideal location not only for its proximity to the Legion building but as a more pedestrian friendly neighbourhood setting."
Both sites have been reviewed and supported by Parks and Public Works. The City will use traffic paint, which the report identifies as having "a lower initial cost" and easier maintenance than thermoplastics.
Council and committee status
The report was first presented to the Community and Corporate Services Standing Committee on April 22, 2025. The June 3 update was accepted as a consent agenda item. No alternatives were presented and no council debate occurred.
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