“Flat Gary” unveiled at Railway Heritage Park

Oct 11, 2012

Photo: Gary Cooke with his “flat Gary" counterpart, a life sized cut out of him as conductor of the Railway Heritage Park's caboose.

Appearing a bit flatter than usual was Gary Cooke, the visionary and instigator behind the Sharbot Lake Railway Heritage Park. Cooke, a retired CPR employee of 29 years and an avid railway heritage collector, was honoured in a special unveiling at the Railway Heritage Park in Sharbot Lake on October 9.

Members of the Central Frontenac Railway Heritage Society (CFRHS) along with Mayor Janet Gutowski and Councilors Frances Smith and Heather Fox, attended the event, where a life-size cut out of Gary as caboose conductor was unveiled. The “Flat Gary” was constructed by Rodger MacMunn and painted by Donna Larocque. It has an amazing likeness to the real Gary and stands at the caboose's entrance greeting the visitors. Sally Angle, chair of the CFRHS, gave credit to Gary Cooke, calling the park “his” project and acknowledging the vast collection of railway artifacts that he donated to the site.

Angle said the collection rivals that of the Smiths Falls Railway Museum. In closing, Angle addressed Cooke directly, saying, “You are our inspiration and we want you to know how much we appreciate what you have done for the community...now you have your museum here, in this caboose and now you will always be here to welcome people to it.”