Dwayne MacLennan
Builder - Golf
Inducted: 2008
Dwayne MacLennan was born in Cornwall in 1930. It was in 1961 he and his brother Ken followed the advice of Dwayne's wife Jean, and began transforming the family's 100 acre dairy farm into a golf course.
It started as nine holes on land which was once cow pastures. By purchasing neighbouring properties, he was able to expand to 18 holes, then 27, and finally, the 36 holes that make up Summerheights Golf Links as it's known today. When the course opened in 1961, green fees were a whopping $1 on weekdays and $1.50 on weekends, and 20 green fees was considered a good day.
In 1966, he was a founding member of the Valley League which includes golfers from Alexandria, Brockville, Cedar Glen, Iroquois, Morrisburg and Sandy Row. In 1990, he started the Junior and Youth programs at Summerheights, which has introduced the game of golf to hundreds of young golfers through the years.
Over the years, Dwayne's hard work and vision have earned a number of sports and business excellence awards. In 1996, Summerheights was chosen Small Business of the Year by the Cornwall Chamber of Commerce. In 1998, Dwayne received the Lions Club "Sportsman of the Year" award for golf . In 2002, he received a Lifetime Acheivement Award from the Chamber of Commerce, and finally in 2004, Summerheights received national recognition when it was chosen Member of the Year by the National Golf Course Owners Association.
Although his son Rory and his wife Kathy now manage the day to day operation of Summerheights Golf Links, Dwayne remains actively involved with the golf club.
Dwayne MacLennan accepting from Dave Alguire.