The Walker's Point Military Memorial
A Spectacular Service Monument - Designed by Hilary Clark Cole
The Walker's Point Archives Group worked very hard at honouring cottagers and/or residents of Walker's Point who had served in the Armed Forces. The members of this group sourced out various avenues to obtain the military history of those who served while living or staying on Walker's Point/Barlochan. Four groupings were created to include a wide group of individuals with a connection to Walker's Point. The Tribute Book is a fluid compilation to which further documentation can be added. The creation of a beautiful monument that is found under the pines off of the hall parking lot as well as the compilation of a Tribute Book has been a HUGE PROJECT!
The monument was unveiled on Sunday October 28, 2018 at 1:00 p.m. The approach steps were added in October 2024. Picture is from November 11 Remembrance Day Service 2024.
Creating the Memorial
Watch scenes from the unveiling and creation of the Walker's Point Military Memorial.
Hilary Clark Cole's Notes
On Sunday October 28, the Walker's Point Community dedicated a military memorial honouring those residents here who took part in the First and Second World Wars.
The troop of Pioneer Army Cadets from Bracebridge marched in formation and unveiled the memorial, and we were honoured to have them there.
The working committee, months before, had commissioned me to design the memorial....Linda Schell, Sandy Brown, and Donelda Hayes let me have my head, for I could see it finished, I just needed help to get it done.
My image was of an erratic rock from Walker's Point, rolled here millions of years ago by the glaciers, finally nestled on the forest floor...the moss, the leaves, the pine needles, under a canopy of trees.
But it had to be a rock that nature has broken.
Ice has split this rock, a significant division, for war divides families, ideologies, and countries. Two halves of a whole, with the tension of space between them.
A few simple words of thanks engraved on the face of the stones, and symbolic poppies would complete the memorial.
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Those who stepped forward to make it possible are remarkable individuals:
David Hayes, who not only let us tramp around his property to find the split erratic of my dreams, Rick Brown and Bill Hacon who levered it up and strapped it so we could visualize its future. David Hayes also hauled it out of the bush and delivered it to the community centre.
Thank you to Sheldon and Bethany Harris, who created the cement base, and LaFarge Cement who delivered the cement. Sheldon also drilled for the pins, provided a tent, assisted in placing the stones with Tony Molica, and helped me install the poppies.
Thanks so much to Steve Waite, of Waite's Boom Truck Service, who contributed time, skill, and his boom truck to lift the stones into place...Steve has been lifting things for me for most of my career...could not have done it without him, once again!
Steve Sanderson, of Signature Memorials in Orillia, was so gracious with his time, huge knowledge and experienced advice, even going in to the bush with me to look at the stones we had found, providing drawings, and eventually his engraver Greg, who sandblasted the words on the face of the stone.
My husband, Alex Tilley, helped me lay the moss, and gather leaves and pine needles, to return the site to its original setting:
A piece of Muskoka, resting in beauty and silent memory.