Over the years Port Perry has been fortunate to have many prominent citizens call our town home. One such person is Durham Region’s first Chairman, Walter Beath, who settled here in 2005. At nearly six foot tall he stands above the crowd and on this Valentine’s Day he celebrates his 90th birthday.
Walter was born in 1919 in Simcoe County. He was one of three sons of Morley and Hilda Beath, farmers who made a living in the rural area between Barrie and Orillia. In 1930 the family moved to East Whitby near Columbus and took over 200 acres, which belonged to one of Walter’s cousins.
Farming was all that Walter knew and he loved the work. “It was great being your own boss and being able to work with your neighbours,” Walter said, with pride. After a short period of military training, at the age of 22, Walter married his sweetheart Earline Hayes, a local girl from the Columbus area.
The two owned 200 acres of farm land on the Oshawa – Clarington town line. Sadly Walter’s wife Earline passed away last year.
“When you’re a farmer, Walter said, “You wake up and you are already at work. Your wife is your partner and from an hour or two before breakfast, until an hour after dinner you are working.”
Farming was his first love and as a youngster he belonged to the calf club, or 4H as most of us know it. “If you did really well you would be recognized and as a prize you were sent to Guelph for a week to learn more about agriculture.”
As the years moved on, Walter realised that farming needed help. Government was neglecting the industry and something had to be done. He joined the Ontario County Crop Association and stayed a member for twenty years, even being its president in 1965. He also joined the Oshawa Fair Board as a director for twenty-five years and president for three. As if that was not enough, Walter was asked to join the Ontario County High School Board and of course, accepted the four year position.
In 1966 Walter, then President of the Beef Association, was asked to speak at the first Ontario Agriculture Conference where he presented a paper entitled, ‘The Future of Agriculture in Ontario’, which was accepted by many as a sign of things to come.
The times for farmers were tough. The hours were long and the work was hard. Fun consisted of getting together with people from church for card parties or going for long walks in the fresh air.
Walter and Earline travelled to Scandinavia in the early seventies to attend the World International Plowing Match, which was to be held in Canada a few years later. Listening and learning how Laplanders organized the event, Walter came home with a new perspective and was asked to join the executive and help plan the occasion.
Walter and Earline are parents to two sons, Wayne and Grant. Grant followed in his father’s footsteps and now lives on Scugog Island. Wayne moved to the US, but both sons and their families were together in Port Perry for Christmas.
Walter was one of the founding members of the Ontario County Cooperative Medical Services, which was the forerunner to our present day OHIP system. He still has his original membership card, which had a cost of $2.50 associated with it.
It was only natural that Walter was involved in politics. During the fifties he was a member of the East Whitby Township Council. As the City of Oshawa annexed townships elections were held every year. Walter, who took a special interest in land planning made it a point to thoroughly represent the rural communities and see that they were given the same opportunities as urban areas.
In 1959 Walter was elected County Warden, the top job in the county. I asked him if he still had time to work his own farm. “The job of County Warden did not pay very much. I had a wife and two sons to support,” he said with a grin on his face.
Walter’s highest honour came on July 31st, 1973 when he was appointed Chairman of the newly formed Durham Region. It was a three year term and Walter ran twice successfully for re-
election. He retired in 1980.
In this position Walter was instrumental in restructuring local government. His region was 1,000 square miles (2,600 square kilometres) with a population of 220,000. At least twenty municipalities were involved, including two counties and the separated City of Oshawa. The new region consisted of eight area and one regional council. “I initiated the first practical energy savings plan in Ontario” Walter began, “which used our own staff, making it quite inexpensive.” As Chairman, Walter was involved in staffing, roads, water and sewage, social assistance and healthcare.
Walter enjoys the Port Perry Community. Each day he goes for long walks for several kilometres. “I have to slow down a bit,” he said. “I fell last week, but I’m mending well.” He loves the cold weather and dresses for it. “Nothing like being outdoors on a crisp winter morning.”
Since his retirement Walter has kept active. He served four years as a Regional Police Commissioner, worked diligently in the Oshawa Hospital $26,000,000 campaign and was part of a three person panel formed to determine the effects that a GTA would have on the residents of the region.
Walter has won many awards, including the Queen’s Golden Jubilee medal and the Bi-Centennial Certificate of Merit, but his most cherished honour is the Centennial Award for Agriculture. Chosen from among 400 nominees Walter was recognized for his contribution not only to Agriculture but to our region as a whole.
Walter has just completed a 200 page history of his family, which will be treasured by generations to come. It was a pleasure to spend a few hours with a man who was so instrumental in the formation of our present Regional Government.
By Jonathan van Bilsen
Focus on Scugog
Personalities
