COCHRANE - The legacy of a beloved polar bear is being kept alive.
JR Seasonal Services has named its new mascot Inukshuk, in tribute to the polar bear who died in August at the Cochrane Polar Bear Habitat.
Inukshuk, who lived to be nearly 22 years old, spent much of his life in Cochrane after being rescued as a young cub near Hudson Bay.
Josh Robin, the owner of JR Seasonal Services, said naming their mascot after Inukshuk was a way to honour his legacy and highlight his significance to Cochrane.
“I've lived here since I was probably 10 years old. I remember going to see the polar bears most of my childhood. It was very sad to see that Inukshuk had passed away,” he said.
“We just really wanted to continue his tribute in Cochrane, for those who knew him so well.”
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Robin said the qualities associated with Inukshuk — safety, hope and friendship — align with the company’s values. JR Seasonal Services, which provides snow removal in winter and seasonal services during the summer, prides itself on its commitment to reliability and strong customer service, he said.
“We're always there. We're great with our communication … I feel like we run a very tight business. If someone reaches out, we're right on it, no matter what. We are a 24/7 business. That’s something I really value, being there for our customers,” Robin said.
In addition to serving as the company’s mascot, Robin their mascot Inukshuk as a way to raise awareness about wildlife conservation and support the Cochrane Polar Bear Habitat.
The Polar Bear Habitat team greatly appreciates the gesture, said manager Amy Baxendell-Young.
“We are deeply touched by the community's desire to have Inukshuk memorialized in this way,” she said.
“As a long-term resident at the habitat, Inukshuk had an effect on all who met him, and we still feel a distinct loss of his presence. It’s lovely to know our community is remembering him too.”
The Town of Cochrane’s mascot is the polar bear and the facility is the largest natural habitat for captive polar bears in the world, said Mayor Peter Politis.
“Inukshuk lived much of his life here with us and was very near and dear to the Polar Bear Habitat team. We all take great pride in being represented by such an iconic and important species and that pride extends to love for the staff who spend their daily lives caring for them,” he said.
“It’s an amazing gesture by JR Seasonal Services, but not a surprising one. Josh comes from a family who have always worn Cochrane on their sleeve with both pride and class.”
The mayor noted the Polar Bear Habitat generates significant economic benefits for the region, with impact assessments estimating $2.5 to $6.5 million annually.
“There are clear intangible benefits as well associated to community branding and marketing that are more difficult to put in monetary terms. For example, when we visit a minister in Queen’s Park seeking critical funding and a polar bear statue from our facility is on their desk, or a painting painted by one of the bears at the facility is on the wall,” Politis said.
“Clearly Cochrane is being noticed. When a picture of children 'swimming with the bears’ goes viral worldwide and is talked about on mainstream talk shows, Cochrane is being noticed. The attraction is one of only a handful of world-class attractions in Northern Ontario. While it is challenging for a community our size to maintain such an attraction, the value in doing so is obvious and continues to be important to do.”
For updates and future initiatives involving the mascot, residents can follow JR Seasonal Services on Facebook here.
