Kirk Wipper

Biography

Wipper was born December 6, 1923, in Grahamdale, Manitoba.

Canadian Canoe Museum

Wipper formed the Kanawa International Collection of Canoes, Kayaks and Rowing Craft. His collection, which consisted of more than six hundred individual watercraft, including kayaks and canoes, became the basis for what would become the Canadian Canoe Museum. In 1957, Wipper was gifted a dugout canoe, which is believed to have been crafted in 1890. Wipper soon began collecting other watercraft, which grew to approximately one hundred fifty pieces by the late 1960s. Wipper constructed a facility to house his collection at Camp Kandalore, a summer camp he owned in the vicinity of Dorset, Ontario. However, his growing collection outgrew this building, necessitating a search for a new facility. Wipper was contacted by a group of individuals, including several affiliated with the Trent University, who were interested in moving his collection to a permanent exhibition space in Peterborough, Ontario. Wipper agreed to the proposal and a board of directors was formed for the project in 1989. In 1994, Wipper donated his entire collection to the new Canadian Canoe Museum in Peterborough. He remained active in the museum as a volunteer and consultant.

Academic career

Wipper became a faculty member of the University of Toronto's School of Physical and Health Education in 1950. He worked as an assistant professor at the University of Toronto until his retirement in 1987. Wipper then served as the director of The Duke of Edinburgh's Award of Canada and the President of the Royal Life Saving Society of Canada following his retirement from academia. Wipper also founded Camp Kandalore in Ontario and co-founded the Canadian Recreational Canoeing Association

Camp Kandalore

For many years he created and headed up one of Canada's leading camps for boys (later to include girls) with canoeing and the outdoors as its primary focus. This is perhaps one of his greatest achievements, as Camp Kandalore set the standard for Summer Camps throughout Ontario, focussing on skills and mentorship and embracing the outdoors and nature as partners in a young boy's journey to becoming a man.

Throughout his years at Kandalore, he led an extensive canoe tripping strategy. However, in the past decades (post 1990's) through separate ownership a focus on in-camp residential experiences emphasizing activities became of greater focus to the camps operation.

Honors

In 2002, Wipper was named to the Order of Canada and the Order of St. John. He was also a recipient of the Ontario Bicentennial Medal and the Government of Canada Centenary Medal.

Kirk Wipper died from a choking accident related to Parkinson's disease while eating dinner with friends and family in Petersborough on March 18, 2011, at the age of 87. He was survived by his wife, Ann.