Community members celebrated as PEC sports hall of fame inductees

Story and photos by Sharon Harrison
There were heartwarming moments, a few sad ones too, but mostly Saturday afternoon’s Prince Edward County Sports Hall of Fame 2025 induction ceremony was one full of nostalgia, memories, remembrances and stories of good times and good people.

It was a ceremony for the community celebrating members of the community, where accomplishments were recognized, dedication was acknowledged, achievements remembered, and commitment commended -and one that seemed appropriate on the Thanksgiving weekend.

A packed Highline Hall at the Wellington and District Community Centre was filled with proud family members, friends, colleagues, comrades and neighbours who had come out to recognize and celebrate those being inducted this year. The last inductees’ ceremony was held in 2019.

Jim Dunlop, Ronald Derek Sivel, Carl Roger Stacey, and the 1976 Gazette Maple Leafs hockey team were  honoured, several posthumously, but remembered and recognized nonetheless by those who knew these individuals and spoke of their behalf.

Mostly, it was an afternoon that came with lots of pride, especially to those who have given years, sometimes decades, of their life to helping others, often to the youngest community members, making a difference in their lives, providing reassuring guidance, and to making community better because of the time, effort, energy and contributions made, and for giving back.

Created in 2011, the Prince Edward County Sports Hall of Fame is a not-for-profit organization honouring individuals or teams that have achieved recognition for their accomplishments and brought honour to the County for their sporting achievements.

“The first eight inductees were recognized in 2012. Since then, 20 more inductees have been made in a wide variety of sports, including javelin, baseball, hockey, boat racing, track, swimming, arm wrestling, pole vault, football, golf, rugby, harness racing, rowing and volleyball,” said Craig Foster, who emceed the event.

Those nominated must have been a County resident at some point in their career, or born in the County, and have reached their 50th birthday, and nominations can include athletes, coaches, community builders, journalists, officials and teams.

A few words were shared by each of County mayor Steve Ferguson, Bay of Quinte MPP Tyler Allsopp, and Bay of Quinte MP Chris Malette before the inductees were introduced.

Jim Dunlop
Wellington councillor Corey Engelsdorfer and Mayor Ferguson, highlighted inductee Jim Dunlop’s many achievements – from his extraordinary leadership skills as a hockey coach, and how his impact extends far beyond the arena.

While raising a family, and working as a safety officer at the cement plant, Dunlop also devoted himself to public service representing Wellington on council, and serving as a County warden, later playing a key role in shaping the community we know today, shared Engelsdorfer.

“When the time came to replace the old Duke Dome in 2009, Jim once again rolled up his sleeves. From design to grant writing to fundraising to construction oversight, he was there at every step. Thanks to his unrelenting determination, Wellington has this beautiful community centre come to life. It stands here today as a living testament to his vision.”

Engelsdorfer explained that even as Parkinson’s disease has slowed Dunlop’s pace, it hasn’t dimmed his passion for this community, as when the call went out for support to build a new hospital, Dunlop was there again.

“Today, we gather not just to celebrate a man, but to honour a lifetime of leadership, dedication and quiet determination, qualities that define the very best of our community,” shared Engelsdorfer. “We come here to recognize Jim Dunlop the coach, the councillor, the builder, a mentor, and above all, a friend.”

“Jim’s story stitches deeply in the fabric of Wellington, it’s a story of someone who never sought the spotlight, but his actions have illuminated this community for decades.”

His legacy is one of compassion, leadership, dedication, resilience, hope, and enriching community, said Englesdorfer, calling Dunlop “humble, steady and deeply accomplished”.

“He’s a true builder of people, places and community.”

Ronald Derek Sivel
Nigel and Ron Sivel shared some words about their father, Ronald Derek Sivel, who passed away in 1975. Ron said he and his brother Nigel said they had been thinking about how their dad would have reacted to today’s event had he been able to be here.

“We know that it would have made him very proud, but not necessarily for himself; he would have been very proud to see his friends and his sports colleagues inducted into the hall of fame, but he would have been especially proud for his grandsons,” said Ron.

“Dad’s last Gazette column was published a few days after his death, on Oct. 19, 1975. He wrote that he felt sports, all types of sports, should be represented and summed up for Prince Edward County, and we feel that we should have a Prince Edward County sports hall of fame.”

Ron spoke to his dad’s columns, the things he wrote about, and the County’s sports heroes.

Nigel shared how his dad’s start in life was unusual and difficult as a British Home Child, brought to Canada from Yorkshire, England in June 1930 at just 15 years of age, sailing on the SS Duchess of Richmond from Liverpool, England to Quebec City.

“Many British Home Children did not have a positive experience in Canada, but dad lucked out; he was assigned to a farm in the Milford area, where he worked until he was 21.”

Ron notes how they didn’t know anything about his British Home Child experience until as recently as 2022 when a number of digitized archives were released and made accessible.

“He never told us anything about this coming here as a British Home Child; dad had kept that experience a secret, a normal practice for these children of the day.”

Sivel was a well-known local sports journalist and sports booster in the County for more than 30 years writing weekly columns for the Picton Times in the mid-1940s, then joining the Picton Gazette when the Times closed, holding the position of sports editor.

“Ron did more than report on the sports of the County, he also participated in it, he won hockey coach of the year in 1974, was a baseball umpire, and was a behind-the-scenes sports organizer, and more,” shared Nigel. As a youth in England, he played football, rugby and boxed at high levels, he continued.

He shared how his dad was instrumental in organizing sports in the County, encouraging girls to play both baseball and hockey. He was the first County coach to integrate girls into its Wellington Saturday morning teams and he organized a women’s softball league.

“Ron knew his readers and his community; he knew his sports teams, the coaches, the supporters, the sports individuals and various community clubs and organizations. His passion was obvious to anyone reading his weekly columns: his readers knew him well, and more importantly, he knew his readers well.“

Carl Roger Stacey
Mike Pero described his late friend Carl Stacey as a “unique athlete and a real good person”.

“Carl had a creative mind, a steadfast determination, a competitiveness, tenacity and determination,” shared Pero.

Stacey’s three sons each spoke fondly about their dad and his many accomplishments, even down to the 10-plus broken bones in his career, calling out recognition to the local doctors who helped mend him.

“My dad loved to win and compete, and I think everybody knew that, but the other thing he loved to do was see other people succeed,” shared Bill Stacey.

“He liked to channel his joy through coaching, and he also enjoyed one-on-one lessons with people: showing a young pitcher how to throw a curveball, helping his granddaughter learn how to skate. It gave him great pleasure and pride, and he simply wanted to use his extensive knowledge of sports to help others reach theirs.”

1976 Gazette Maple Leafs hockey team
Emcee Foster spoke to the cultural impact the 1976 Gazette Maple Leafs team had in particular.

“Wellington then was cut off from the rest of the world, it felt far away, and it was not the wealthy place it is today,” said Foster. “So for this group to have this particular dream was quite inspiring, but then to have the entire town to execute that dream really was magic…”

Bob Snider and Rick Dainard spoke on behalf of the 1976 Gazette Maple Leafs nomination, and Snider said, “Our hockey team is absolutely thrilled and honoured to be inducted” as both reminisced about many hockey individuals and memories sharing some humorous hockey stories (and a long poem read by Dainard).

Many team members were present for the ceremony, where it was also acknowledged that some had also passed away.

Speaking to the Prince Edward County Sports Hall of Fame generally, Foster said, “It’s a terrific legacy that we are building”.

“All the inductees today really exemplify and embody all the characteristics about what we admire in sports and in athletes: hard work, dedication, perseverance, discipline, sportsmanship and the drive to compete and to succeed,” said MPP Allsopp.

“Each of these nominees represents a story of passion, perseverance and pride,” added MP Chris Malette, “qualities that have long defined sport in the County”.

“It’s events like this that really bring our community together, it’s a wonderful ceremony and it’s so important to recognize our athletes who have contributed so much to our community,” said Ferguson.

Bios for each inductee, as provided by the PEC Sports Hall of Fame, below:

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JIM DUNLOP
Born in Picton, Ontario on Dece. 22, 1944, Jim Dunlop attended Mary Street and Queen Elizabeth Public Schools and Prince Edward Collegiate Institute.

Between 1970 and 1976, Dunlop coached a group of enthusiastic Wellington boys to three Ontario Hockey Championships. That team went on to represent the County, Ontario and Canada at a six game tournament in Switzerland. Dunlop helped make this happen by fundraising, building contacts, and arranging travel and accommodation.

His organizational skills, dedication and resilience were put to the test in 2009 when he spearheaded the building of the new Wellington and District Community Centre. He was involved in the design, grant writing and fundraising for the project.

In 2004, he received civic recognition with Mayor Steve Ferguson stating: “Your legacy is one of compassion, service, leadership and an unwavering dedication to Prince Edward County. You have nurtured resilience, hope and growth and enriched our community in countless ways. For this, we are extremely grateful.”

RONALD DEREK SIVEL
A well-known local sports journalist and sports booster in the County for more than 30 years, from 1914 to 1975, Ronald Derek Sivel wrote weekly columns, Bits and Pieces and Sports in Brief from the late 1940s in the Picton Times, and from 1949 until 1975 in the Picton Gazette as sports editor.

His writing described the culture of sports, the joy of participating in sports, whether as a team member, a coach, a parent or a fan. All were components of a successful and enjoyable sports experience he consistently educated his readers about.

CARL ROGER STACEY
Born on July 4, 1943 in Picton, Ontario, Carl Stacey attended Bloomfield Public School and Prince Edward Collegiate.

Carl was a tremendous athlete who excelled in three sports. In fastball, Carl was a member of five local teams that won Ontario championships between 1956 and 1979.

Carl is famous for his “one-handed” game in 1966 when he played for the Picton Kinsman in a semi-final game against the Belleville Ellis Juniors. With a cast on his left arm, Carl struck out 24 men and hit a one-armed home run in a 19-inning game!

In 1983, Carl coached a struggling Wellington little league team that the Picton Gazette dubbed the “Miracle Squirts” after they went on to win the Ontario championships.

Carl was also an Ontario Hockey Champion with his Picton Intermediate team in 1965. An accomplished golfer, Carl had seven career hole-in-ones and won the Picton Golf and Country Club championship five times between 1969 and 1991. The County lost a true sportsman on March 26, 2021.

Back row, from left, are: Jim Harrison, Richard Fox, Steve Platt, Brad Stacey, Robin Selman, Doug Barrett; middle row, from left, are: Joe Cembal (sponsor), Jim Dunlop (coach), Rick Fisher, David Clark, Ron Miller, Sandy Rutherford, Rick Dainard, Carmen Courneyea, Rick Clark, Mac Greer (manager) and front, from left, are: Daid Nelson, Terry Greer, Don Maycock, Bob Snider, Robert Messer, Ron Macdonald, Joe Courneyea, Bruce Barrett (equipment manager) and at centre, Rick Miller, stick boy.

1976 GAZETTE MAPLE LEAFS
In 1976, a midget hockey team from Wellington, Ontario captured the imagination of supportive Prince Edward County residents and proudly represented the OMHA and Canada at a tournament in Switzerland. The core group of players had been playing together since 1970 and were coached by Jim Dunlop and Mac Greer.

The team learned how to win, capturing the Ontario Championships three times, in 1972, 1974 and 1976. After a great deal of fundraising, the young men travelled to Switzerland where they were billeted by families.

The team won four of six games against older teams on larger ice surfaces. They had the honour of playing a game in Davos which was the home of the Spangler Cup,