Town honours crossing guard King

Jan. 22, 2020

By Kristena Schutt-Moore

For 36 years he has been a constant companion, offering a cheerful smile to start the day as well as a watchful eye and a helping hand for those students crossing the streets to get to school. Now it's time for the changing of the guard as Wally King puts his crossing guard sign down.
When Christmas vacation came for the students, King waved goodbye to them for the last time as he set his sights on retirement. “I'll miss the kids the most,” he says. “But the weather is just getting too cold, so it's time to go.”
As a crossing guard he has watched over generations of students and has seen to it that they have arrived safely at school, no matter which route they took, or which school they went to. King laughs saying, “I've been on every corner of this town at least once.” 
Crossing guards are hired under the roads/public works department of the Town of Bancroft. “When I first started I was hired by Reeve Jack Hattin,” King explains. “Since then I have worked with four mayors: Lloyd Churchill, Charlie Mullet, Miss [Bernice] Jenkins and now Paul Jenkins.”
“It's been fun,” King says. But now he says it is time to get out of the cold and do some things he's been wanting to do. “I'm also looking forward to sleeping in past 7 o'clock. No more 4 or 5 a.m. mornings,” he laughs. 
He told those in attendance at his retirement party that he was going to enjoy his retirement by just relaxing and not to worry, “I'll see you around town, I won't be leaving our little town.”