Walter Walker

Walter Walker was born in Ancaster, Ontario on November 4, 1907. Walter’s father was a minister and this caused them to live in several towns and cities during his youth. In his high school days Walter had to make daily train trips to attend school. After graduating in 1926, Walter worked in the furniture making business. He moved to Lakefield, Ontario where he started building canoes for various companies and eventually became foreman for the Peterborough Canoe Company; a position he held from 1942 to 1961. In later years Walter spent much of the time building 20 and 30 foot racing canoes at Peel Marine in Lakefield. At age 78, Walter retired from full time work but continued to build canoe in the basement of his home and later made hand carved paddles. His work was in great demand by canoe enthusiasts.

Walter’s exceptional craftsmanship has been recognized on numerous occasions. He was commissioned to build and present one of his canoe to Governor General Viscount Alexander of Tunis upon his visit to Peterborough in 1948. He also built and presented a cedar strip canoe to H.R.H. Prince Andrew upon his graduation from Lakefield College in 1977. In September, 1999 he presented Prince Andrew with a handcrafted paddle on his visit to the Canadian Canoe Museum.

Walter’s lifelong passion for his craft was recognized by his induction as the first ‘Canoe Builder Emeritus’ into the Canoe Builders Hall of Fame in 1944 and, more recently, by the Canoe Builder’s Award from the Canadian Canoe Museum. His canoes have been featured attractions at the annual Sportsman’s Shows in Toronto. He has been featured in many articles in various newspapers such as the KWRecord, the Peterborough Examiner and the Hamilton Spectator. Tourist magazines in the Kawarthas have promoted his passion and talents in human interest stories during the summer.