A lake and two islands are being named in honour of three Manitoba conservation officers killed in the line of duty. This announcement was made by Conservation and Water Stewardship Minister Gord Mackintosh.
The minister said the Manitoba government worked with the officers’ families to choose locations they felt would best honour the fallen officers.
“Robert Logan, William McLeod and Charles Morrish made the ultimate sacrifice and left their families and friends much too early,” said Mackintosh. “They put themselves in harm’s way to protect us and Mother Earth, and this is an overdue tribute.”
Officer Robert Logan, 39, died while on duty Nov. 3, 1983, in a traffic accident involving black ice. He left behind a wife and three young sons. Robert Logan Lake, near Childs Lake in Duck Mountain Provincial Park, will be named in his honour. His sons, who enjoy cross-country skiing, will have the opportunity to visit the lake and the popular ski trail that runs along it.
Officer William McLeod, 39, died on May 12, 1967, leaving behind a wife and six children. He was shot by a trapper and died from complications of the resulting injury. McLeod will be recognized with the naming of William James McLeod Island on Cormorant Lake in northwest Manitoba, where he often took his family for Sunday afternoon picnics.
Officer Charles Morrish, a 13-year veteran officer, lost his life on April 3, 1966, when his vehicle went through the ice. Morrish will be recognized with the designation of Morrish Island on Clearwater Lake in Clearwater Lake Provincial Park in the northwest part of the province. Morrish worked on the lake and his family plan to host a family reunion there next summer.
“Naming places after these fallen officers helps us tell their stories and ensures they are remembered in the years to come,” said Mackintosh.
More information on the Manitoba Geographical Names Program is available online.
