Mr. Hockey, Gordie Howe

Gordie Howe was a regular visitor and seasonal employee in Prince Albert National Park in the 1950s and 60s.  He worked on the maintenance of the Waskesiu Golf Course and loved to play here.  He also loved to go fishing with another NHL legend and  his good friend Johnny Bower, who operated a cafe in Waskesiu.  Many stories are told locally about the pair and their antics around town. In his eulogy, his son Murray Howe mentioned that Gordie's favourite place on earth was Waskesiu.

During the summer of 2018, Gordie Howe was honored in several ways at Waskesiu.    The Waskesiu Foundation and the Waskesiu Recreation Association installed an outdoor fitness park and named it after Gordie.  The Museum partnered with the Foundation for an author reading and book signing of Nine Lessons I Learned From My Father by Murray Howe. The Waskesiu Community Council declared Gordie Howe Day in Waskesiu.  The Lobstick Golf Club unveiled interpretive signage about Gordie beside the Clubhouse.  The Howe family very generously donated one of Gordie's favourite golf clubs to the Waskesiu Heritage Museum as well as one of his golf shirts.  These artifacts can be seen in the museum along with other memorabilia donated by others in his honour.  As well, there is documentation about Gordie's last visit to Waskesiu in 2012 and the events held in 2018.                                                                                   

In this brief video, Murray talks about the #3 wood golf club donation to the Museum during his remarks at the unveiling of the signage at the Waskesiu Golf Course.