One year after the death of celebrated Canadian rock icon Gord Downie, a Yellowknife resident is remembering the Tragically Hip front man鈥檚 music - and message - in an eye-catching way.

Aaron Wall, a long time Hip fan, has turned his Niven Drive home front into a tribute to the late singer-songwriter - with a massive banner bearing the band鈥檚 household name.

鈥淚 thought I鈥檇 show a little respect by putting up the banner to show some recognition for Mr. Gord Downie,鈥� said Wall.

Downie died on Oct. 17, 2017 after battling an aggressive form of brain cancer.

Following his diagnosis, Downie and the Tragically Hip hit the road for a final cross-country Canadian tour, with a final August 2016 stop in Kingston, Ont - where the band formed in the 1980s.

Downie鈥檚 swan song was broadcast across the country.

That鈥檚 when Wall鈥檚 big banner first went up.

Wall, who fell in love with the Hip as a teenager growing up in Winnipeg, invited friends and fellow fans over to watch the final show.

Now, on the anniversary of Downie鈥檚 death, Wall has brought the banner back.

鈥淚 just saw it sitting there the other day and I realized ... everybody鈥檚 talking about the legalization of marijuana but nobody鈥檚 talking about Gord Downie,鈥� said Wall when Yellowknifer caught up with the die-hard fan at his office downtown.

There, Wall said, it was 鈥淗ip all day,鈥� on the stereo system.

Wall saw the band play over a dozen times. He can鈥檛 pick a favourite song or album because it鈥檚 too hard. But by hoisting the banner on Oct. 17, he said, he's remembering more than the music.

During his 鈥渓ast days on this earth,鈥� Wall said Downie used his voice and following to bring awareness to important issues faced in the North and across Canada.

鈥淪pecifically with the residential school system, and the story of Chanie Wenjack and how beautiful that story,鈥� said Wall.

Before his death, Downie released the Secret Path, an album accompanied by a graphic novel, telling the story of Wenjack - a 12-year-old Indigenous boy who fled an Ontario residential school in the 1960s. He died trying to walk home to his family - hundreds of kilometres away.

鈥淚t鈥檚 a terrible time in Canada鈥檚 past and he shed a lot of light on some really important issues,鈥� said Wall.

Leading up to his death, Downie urged Canadians to confront the colonially-rooted challenges that plague so many of the country鈥檚 Indigenous people.

Downie鈥檚 enduring advocacy and message, Wall said, is what makes the Tragically Hip a 鈥淐anadian masterpiece.鈥�

鈥淭hey鈥檙e always going to be Canada鈥檚 rock band.鈥�