Stampede Corral Cowboy - Calgary, Alberta
N 51° 02.234 W 114° 03.327
11U E 706433 N 5658091
A very large cowboy on a bucking bronc above the original main entrance to the Stampede Corral arena.
Waymark Code: WMEGRH
Location: Alberta, Canada
Date Posted: 05/28/2012
Views: 6
**The Corral was demolished in 2020, and the neon sign could not be saved. It may be recreated in the future. https://www.cbc.ca/news/canada/calgary/stampede-corral-calgary-bmo-expansion-alberta-city-1.5825335 **
The Stampede Corral was the original home of the National Hockey League (NHL) Calgary Flames, from 1980 to 1983. Built in 1950, it was the main sports arena for the city until the completion of the Saddledome in 1983.
This "Stampede Corral" sign and the cowboy image were above the main entrance to the Corral when it was first built. Today, the huge neon sign is largely obscured by the adjoining BMO Centre, built in 1981. But you can still get a good look at the sign from the elevated walkway adjoining the southernmost corner of the BMO Centre, which is where I took these photos.
I doubt that the neon still works; since 1981, there wouldn't have been any point in maintaining or illuminating it, because it is now so hard to see. And at least one tube is clearly broken.
Calgary artist Luke Lindoe, who created three bas-relief concrete murals for the ground floor entrance to the Corral, may have also designed the cowboy for this sign.
To get a better idea of the size of this sign, here are two historic photos from the 1950s
Canadian Geographic Photo #1
Canadian Geographic Photo #2
and 1960s
Canadian Geographic Photo #3