Lakefield Herald Special Report

Summer shutdown at Savage Arms

by Anita Locke

Savage Arms in Lakefield held its annual company picnic last Thursday. The event marked the start of the regular two-week summer shutdown. Savage Arms employs over 100 people.

Employees enjoyed a picnic featuring a wide array of food, and were treated to music provided by the “Lakefield Savages”, a live band comprised of Savage Arms employees, management, and friends.

Savage Arms’ General Manager Terry McCullough plays drums. He’s the former drummer for Toronto’s Jamie and the Del Rays and the Intenders, and plays with the MacNaughton Highlanders, a Scottish pipe band performing highland and lowland music.

Dan Washburn, former Purchasing Agent, provides Bass, Lead guitar and vocals. He’s the former lead singer for South Mountain as well as band leader for the late Colleen Peterson.

Guitar and vocals are provided by Barry Haggarty, owner of Haggarty Sound Studios in Peterborough. Barry has played with such notables as Ronnie Hawkins, The Family Brown, and has been nominated for Guitar Player of the Year several times.

Rob Phillips, a veteran Peterborough player, brings his keyboard talents to the group. Kevin Goss plays saxophone.

Female vocalists are Karen Alderdice (Savage Arms employee), Michelle Washburn and Lisa Arthur.

Sound is provided by Roy Craft of Custom Sound Productions, Peterborough.

Savage Arms’ product line consists of bolt action and lever action single shot, bolt action repeater, semi-automatic, ‘Striker’ handguns and other firearms.

In 2006 they also introduced the AccuTrigger, a trigger design so revolutionary it will forever change the way shooters expect triggers to function.

The company has been a part of the Lakefield community since 1968. Originally known as Lakefield Arms, production started with two models of .22 caliber rifles. From 1970 to 1991, the company built Mossberg Model 500 pump action shotguns.

In 1989, Enterprise Canada Ltd. purchased Lakefield Arms; in 1994, Lakefield Arms was sold to Challenger Industries, a holding company that also owned Savage Arms and Passive Bullet Trap, located in Westfield, Mass, U.S.

Ron Coburn, the present owner, purchased Savage Arms Inc. which included this business as well as the businesses in Westfield in 1995.

The company changed its name to Savage Arms (Canada) Inc., and a corporate name change was made to Savage Sports Corporation.

The company is an active part of the community; it actively engages in fundraising partnerships including donations to the United Way, Peterborough Regional Health Centre, Lakefield Junior C Chiefs hockey club, Lakefield Santa Claus parade, Polar Fest and many more.

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