Glen Dart was a local sensation as a hockey player with an impressive career that spanned seventeen years. In 1934, at the age of 15, he was invited to join Haliburton’s elite men’s hockey team, The Haliburton Huskies. The Haliburton arena, built in 1932, attracted big crowds for tournaments as hockey grew in popularity. These were the golden years of hockey and Glen was recognized as a powerhouse player throughout Ontario.
Glen played at the Junior C level for the Lindsay Midgets, earning media accolades that led him to try out for a Junior A team in Toronto. He made the team, but Haliburton called him home when his father needed help in the family business, Dart’s Bakery.
With the onset of World War II, Glen served his country by joining the Royal Canadian Air Force. In 1941-42, Glen played for the RCAF No. 5 ITS team from Belleville. The team contended for the OHA Intermediate B Championship. At the end of the war, Glen played for the Moncton Maroons, a Maritime Senior team in the AMS League.
After his discharge, Glen returned to Haliburton where he was a star, once again, on the Haliburton Huskies. Glen coached minor hockey teams at all levels and a successful Juvenile team in the years that followed. As the Haliburton Recreation Director, Glen supported and encouraged young people, making sure to find skates and equipment for those who lacked them.
After his untimely passing at the age of 31 in 1951, a group of sports minded citizens established the Glen Dart Memorial Hockey Tournament to honour him. The tournament is still played annually through seven decades with few exceptions, the tournament is a fitting tribute to one of Haliburton’s hockey legends. Glen Dart is remembered throughout Haliburton County as someone who inspired the youth of the community with his guidance and positive attitude.
