A Brief History of the Maple Leaf Golf and Country Billiard Club

When Maple Leaf Estates was officially opened in 1976 the CanAm Clubhouse had already been built and one of the smaller rooms was designated as a billiard room with two tables; one 5 x 10 billiard table and a smaller 4 x 8 pool table. Since the majority of members were from Canada the main games played were snooker and billiards and very seldom pool. In 1981 the Queensway Clubhouse was opened and a second billiard facility was provided with the same setup a 5 x 10 snooker table and another 4 x 8 pool table with larger pockets. Both billiard rooms were open at all times and anyone was allowed to enter and play. Balls and cues were kept in racks on the walls and one entry to the CanAm building was directly through the Billiard room itself. This was a most unsatisfactory arrangement and there was often vandalism and theft of balls at both facilities. A Club proposal to upgrade the Queensway billiard room and re-place the pool table with a snooker table and to place locks on all the doors was turned down by management on the premise that the facilities were an amenity open to all residents.

The Club adopted the Queensway as its official clubroom since it did not have the entrance problem associated with the CanAm building. In the mid 1990s, dismayed by the fact that the CanAm facility was rarely used, the Club members took it upon themselves to re-arrange the two facilities after the Board did not deny another petition seeking two snooker tables at the Queensway. On a quiet weekend evening the CanAm snooker table was disassembled and moved to the Queensway, with the Queensway pool table moved to the CanAm. Although management was not entirely satisfied with the hastiness of the move, the work and cost of returning the snooker table to the Can-Am facility was deemed not practical.

On August 13th, 2004, MLE was hit by Hurricane Charlie. The outcome of that storm was extensive damage to most homes and buildings in MLE. Although the Can-Am building survived the storm the Queensway building did not. Unfortunately, access to the Queensway building was not permitted for several months and the two snooker tables became covered with mould. The tables were finally dismantled and placed in storage at a local pool hall facility. Between 2005 and 2006 although the club existed, there was no official play since the CanAm room was being primarily used for
storage and the existing equipment was of poor quality. Although Blair Meating had accepted the President’s position for 2006, his home had been destroyed by the hurricane and he did not return.

In 2007, a committee headed by Mike Comba and composed of Jim McLean and Ed McLachlan initiated a number of letters and meetings (see DOCUMENTS) to the Board and management of now Maple Leaf Golf and Country Club (MLGCC) for the reinstatement of the Billiards Club. Later an Executive body was self appointed since the Club had no official membership at that point in time. Difficult negotiations continued for over 12 months. The Board finally agreed to allow the Club to take back the CanAm room as its clubhouse. Significant campaigning by the appointed Executive resulted in an agreement that provided for 4 tables (2 snooker and 2 pool), removal of a wall for inclusion of a small storage space and a co-sharing arrangement with the Library room to house one of the snooker tables. The original two snooker tables were never recovered as the cost of storage for 4 years was prohibitive. The inferior pool table was discarded, three new tables purchased and the Brunswick pool table was retained and is still used by the Club. In 2009 with the effort of member Jim Bertram the Corporation purchased a mobile facility and located it on land in the maintenance area. This unit was used to relocate the Library along with some Arts and Craft functions.

From 1980 to 2004 the Billiard Club executive consisted of a President, Vice President, Treasurer and a Publicity / Social Convener. A luncheon and general meeting was held once a year in March, originally in the CanAm but now in the Charlotte Center, for the purpose of awarding trophies and prizes and for the election of officers. There were as many as 70 members but the average membership was around 40 to 45. There was a membership fee of $ 5.00 to pay for equipment and for the social event in March. After 2007 the Club adopted a set of By-laws and set the membership fee at $10. The Executive and AGM remained the same other than the Convener position was re-titled to Membership/Social Events and the past-President became part of the Executive. In 2016 the Club added two Directors-at-Large positions to help handle the increase in duties because of an expansion of club activities. The club added a number of events such as 8 monthly (8 and 9 ball) tournaments, a ladder structure for 8 ball in-club play, a bi-monthly couple’s night and a weekly drop-in jitney format. In addition, the Club as of 2013 had entered into inter-club play for “A” and “B” teams in 8 ball and 9 ball with Iles Yacht Club and Windmill Village. As of March 31, 2016 the club had 79 members of whom 13 were women.