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History:
William Garden
was born November 5, 1918
in Calgary, Alberta. His family moved to Oregon in 1924 where he started
school, but by 1928 they had relocated again to the Montlake District of
Seattle. In January,1935, upon graduation from high school, he enrolled
at the Edison Boatbuilding School where he learned new construction for
both sail and power; then went to work for Andrew's Boat Company on
Portage Bay, not far from his home. His next project was construction of
his schooner GLEAM which he sailed throughout the San Juan Islands,
around Vancouver Island, and along the coast of British Columbia when
time permitted.
By the age of 24, he had
already completed 51 designs when he was drafted to the US army base in
the Aleutians Islands repairing ships. After the war, he was
licensed as a naval architect and established his own design office,
setting up shop in Washington State. In 1968 he relocated to
Victoria, BC in order to raise his family. He bought a private
island nearby, named Toad's Landing and since then did all his design
work out of Toad's Landing.
William Garden is a prolific naval architect and marine engineer. Over
the period of six decades, he designed watercraft ranging from
commercial fishing vessels and tugboats to motor and sailing yachts. His
work celebrates the art of ship design, instantly recognizable as
exceptionally seaworthy, sensibly built, and of distinct proportion and
grace. He has produced over 650 designs from which thousands of boats
have been built around the world, and his design work is featured in
maritime museum collections throughout North America. A valued mentor
and inspiration to generations of Canadian yacht designers, he has
helped put Canada at the forefront in this field.
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Achievements and Honours:
The Honourable Iona Campagnolo, Lieutenant Governor of British Columbia,
presented the insignia of Member of the Order of Canada to Mr. William
Garden on behalf of Her Excellency the Right Honourable Michaëlle Jean,
Governor General of Canada, during a private ceremony held at Government
House on July 24, 2007. Mr. Garden was appointed on October 5, 2006
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