CPR worker, Walter Komar, leaves his legacy with a $47,000 gift to the Cranbrook History Centre

Walter Komar was born in Brandon, Manitoba, on October 24, 1929. He worked as a Canadian Pacific Railway locomotive engineer until he retired and would often state that the best times at the railroad were the days of the steam engines. Walter was a resident of Cranbrook and passed away on December 9, 2013 at the age of 84.

In 2015, the Cranbrook Archives Museum and Landmark (CAMAL) Foundation received a donation of $47,000 from Komar’s estate. The majority of the gift is being used to leverage grant funding for much needed projects, such as the new Freight Shed Roof and the future Paleontology Gallery and Research Lab. A lump sum of $10,000 has gone towards the establishment of the Cranbrook History Centre Endowment Fund, which will be managed by the Cranbrook and District Community Foundation.

“The CAMAL Foundation would like to extend our gratitude to the estate of Walter Komar for fulfilling his bequest wishes of a donation to the Canadian Museum of Rail Travel,” said Char Murray, Executive Director and Curator of the Cranbrook History Centre. “We are honoured to be a part of Mr. Komar’s legacy, and will work hard to ensure his gift will have a positive impact on the lives of Cranbrook residents and visitors to the Cranbrook History Centre. We are also very committed to growing our endowment fund, which will help ensure a sustainable, vibrant future for the Cranbrook History Centre.”

A framed commemorative picture has been placed in the Royal Alexandra Hall entrance to honour Walter’s memory and donation.

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