Walker Building Officially Opened at Museum
By Chris Fell Express Staff

The new building was completed in October 1999 and displays much of the old time farm artifacts assembled by the museum over the years, it is the second major expansion at the museum in the past few years with the new wing dedicated to the history of fire fighting set to be officially opened next July.

The new farm wing of the building has been dedicated to Joe Walker a long time Meaford resident who owned and later worked at a downtown hardware store for 70 years. He retired at the age of 95.

Mayor Doug Grant, Museum Board Chair Bruce Shepperd and Charlie MacDonald officially cut the ribbon opening the new wing, MacDonald was using tin snips that had once been owned by Joe Walker.

"Mr. Walker bequested some money in his estate to the museum and we used that to construct the new building. It was logical that we name the building after Joe, because he made it all possible," said Museum Curator Paul Cornfield during Saturday's festivities.

In addition to a monetary bequest Mr. Walker also left the museum 300 items in his estate, some of which the museum has on display right now. The list of artifacts Walker left to the museum was so extensive it took staff more than two months to catalog and record all of them.

Charlie MacDonald, who along with his brother John, bought Walker's downtown hardware store was on hand Saturday to say a few words about Walker and his legacy.

"We could talk all afternoon about him. My brother John and I were very close to Joe. He was 90 years old and was still swinging a hammer and using those snips and he continued to work for us until he was 95 years old," said MacDonald.

In addition to the museum Walker left bequests to numerous community groups around town including: the hospital, the Church of Christ which he attended for 102 years, the library, the harbour and Georgian Bay Secondary School.

"He was a real significant person and well respected around Meaford," said MacDonald.

Mayor Grant said as a child growing up in Meaford Joe Walker was a person everybody knew on the mainstreet.

"I never did know how old Mr. Walker was. He was a remarkable guy and the combined legacy from him and his family was pretty substantial," said Grant. "Today I don't know what he would say having us making a fuss over his tools and trade, it's wonderful to have all those memories of Joe," he added.