HALL OF FAME

The PEI Snowmobile Excellence Awards & Hall of Fame

The PEI Snowmobile Association Hall of Fame was first established in 2015. A committee was formed consisting of well known and respected snowmobilers with their mandate being to identify individuals who have made a positive impact on snowmobiling over the past 40 years by dedicating their time and passion to our sport. The inductee’s recognition plaques are displayed at various popular snowmobile destinations as well as at each of the dealerships. The entire idea has been well received by the PEI snowmobiling community.

The first four Hall of Fame inductees in 2015.
From left to right: Murray MacPherson, David Bernard (representing his dad Richard), George
Webster, Cathy Dickieson (PEISA administrator), Gerry Martin, and PEISA
president Dale Hickox.

Hall Of Fame Nominee Form

2024

Gary Dunning

This gentleman has been involved in snowmobiling since he was a very young lad. He was close to his uncle Jim Robbins, who was an avid snowmobile racer, and always had access to a snowmobile from a young age.

For most of us involved with snowmobiling on PEI for many years now, Gary Dunning really came to the forefront in 1995 when he took on the Arctic Cat dealership. For two years, he operated the dealership from his home in Milton while still maintaining a welding shop and used car lot in North River. In 1997, he moved the Arctic Cat dealership to his building in North River and ran all of his businesses from one location. Gary built the Arctic Cat brand on PEI to heights it had never seen before, thanks to his tireless efforts and dedication to putting his customers first, including making deals from his upstairs office in North River late at night — even close to midnight during the last day of snow-checks.

In 2001, Gary expanded his snowmobile business by taking on the Polaris snowmobile line at his North River location. With two of the four major brands under one roof, he continued to grow his customer base and serve his clients all from the same location for many years.

In 2004, he purchased the former Hi-Tech Toys business on Campbell Road in Winsloe, which included the Harley Davidson dealership. Gary operated out of that building for a few years before making a major expansion in 2007. He expanded the store in North River and moved the Harley Davidson dealership there, combining it with the Polaris dealership, while relocating the Arctic Cat dealership to Winsloe alongside his other power sport operations.

Gary has always been a huge supporter of the PEISA. In my over 20 years of involvement with the organization, you could always count on Gary for assistance with any project we were working on. For many years, whenever we were hosting the “Annual Maritime Go Snowmobiling Rides,” we would start the ride from the Winsloe store, and Gary would often provide snowmobiles for guest riders like local politicians and various members of the media.

In 2014, when the PEISA hosted the Celebration Ride, a three-day ride held across PEI, Gary provided snowmobiles for over 130 riders who came from across Canada and the United States. He and his dealership have always gone the extra mile for snowmobilers on PEI, even delivering snowmobiles to New Brunswick when a customer had an issue with a machine.

Gary has always been a tremendous supporter of PEISA, consistently backing various projects, including sponsoring maps, sign projects, and the PEISA promotional trailer. He also played a big role when we used to host annual snowmobile shows at the Charlottetown Civic Center.

In conclusion, I truly believe that Gary Dunning is an exceptionally deserving candidate for induction into the PEISA Hall of Fame.

2023

Dale Hickox

Dale Hickox has been an avid snowmobiler for the past 38 years. He has been an active member of his local club, the Greenfield Stormriders, and has served as a dedicated member of the Prince Edward Island Snowmobile Association (PEISA) since 1999. Dale held the role of PEISA President from 2007 until 2021, when he retired from the Board. In late summer 2022, he was hired as the PEISA Trail Manager. In 2012, Dale was awarded the Canadian Council of Snowmobile Organizations Excellence Award for Snowmobiler of the Year.

Dale believed it was important to have youth representation on the PEISA. He approached the Board with his idea, and at the 2011 PEISA Annual General Meeting, had the bylaws changed to include five youth members. These youth members, aged between 18 and 25, have since contributed greatly to Board activities.

Every year during the second week of June, snowmobile enthusiasts, manufacturers, suppliers, and representatives from state, provincial, and national snowmobile organizations from around the world meet to celebrate the sport and conduct business at the International Snowmobile Congress. In 2009, Dale was the co-chair and one of the key organizers of the International Snowmobile Congress hosted by the PEISA in Summerside, tending to over 400 delegates from Canada, the United States, Sweden, and Russia — a huge undertaking for a small association.

Dale was the main organizer and driving force behind the annual “Go Snowmobiling Ride” on PEI from 2007 to 2019, with COVID-19 forcing the cancellation of this important event for the past few years. He worked hard to encourage the participation of local media and politicians, providing them with the opportunity to experience the joy of snowmobiling firsthand.

Another notable accomplishment of Dale’s was organizing the 2014 Celebration Ride as part of the 150th Anniversary of the Creation of our Nation celebrations. The PEISA hosted 120 riders from across Canada and the United States on a three-day ride from one tip of Prince Edward Island to the other. Due to his efforts with this ride, the PEISA was awarded the International Snowmobile Manufacturers Association’s top “Go Snowmobiling” ride award for Canada in 2014.

Leadership

As President of the PEISA, Dale nurtured the group of volunteers into one of the best boards of directors in PEISA’s history. He encouraged all members to voice their opinions and actively participate in all activities. In February 2014, Dale was voted by his peers as the President of the Canadian Council of Snowmobile Organizations for a two-year term. He was then re-elected for a second two-year term in 2016 and was an exceptional leader at the national level.

Safety

Dale was the driving force behind the hiring of a full-time paid Trail Warden on PEI. The implementation of the trail warden program has substantially decreased the number of injuries and impaired driving instances on Island trails. The PEISA now partners with Law Enforcement and Conservation Officers to ensure the safety of everyone using the trails.

Community Outreach

Dale worked with the local Mothers Against Drunk Drivers (MADD) campaign by coordinating trail spot checks with PEISA trail wardens, local police detachments, and MADD members. These spot checks helped raise awareness about the importance of not consuming alcohol while operating a snowmobile.

Dale consistently exceeded expectations in promoting snowmobiling as a recreational sport. His tireless efforts brought together a group of dedicated volunteer board members whose combined efforts have developed highly respected relationships with local government officials, snowmobile dealers, the membership at large, and the Island community. Without his dedication as a full-time volunteer President, the Association would not have achieved these partnerships.

Dale has a genuine love for snowmobiling, and his positive outlook is contagious. His tireless work as PEISA President involved upgrading trails, ensuring safe riding conditions, and building strong relationships with local snowmobile dealers. He also launched the first Vintage Trail Pass program, which took older snowmobiles out of storage and put them back on the trails. People have enjoyed the sport so much that many are now purchasing newer sleds.

Additionally, Dale allowed the local groomer to be stationed at his farm and donated his shop and work areas for service and maintenance of PEISA equipment at no cost to the Association.

Given all of these accomplishments, we firmly believe that Dale Hickox is a deserving candidate for induction into the PEISA Hall of Fame.

Respectfully submitted,
Dhuey Pratt & Linda Constable

2022

Dale Parsons

Dale started sledding in the late sixties on a Skidoo bought from Stanley Mayhew. Dale and his wife Janice still spend many hours on their faithful Yamaha Venture. Ever since KASA started a groomed trail system, Dale has volunteered many hours putting up signs, clearing trees with his chainsaw, collecting land permits, and grooming trails. Dale served for many years on the KASA Board of Directors and has been a valued volunteer to snowmobiling on Prince Edward Island.

Linda Constable

Linda first became a PEISA board member in 1999 when she was asked to be one of the two Springside Snowmobile Association representatives to attend all the Snowmobile Association monthly meetings. By 2008, Linda had become even more active with the PEISA. She was asked to attend the International Snowmobile Congress in Boise, Idaho, and after attending once, PEI was to host the 2009 International event. Linda was one of the key organizers in planning this event, which hosted over 400 delegates from Canada, the United States, Sweden, and Russia. Linda contributed hundreds of volunteer hours to this event to help make it one of the most successful Congresses ever held. Linda represented PEISA at these international events for another 10 years and was elected Secretary-Treasurer of the International Snowmobile Congress, a position she still holds today.

As a PEISA board member, Linda worked on many different committees, including leading various Snowmobile Shows held by the PEISA from 2008 to 2015. She was one of the main organizers of the successful PEISA Celebration Ride in 2014, attended by over 125 snowmobile riders from Canada and the United States. This three-day event was recognized by the International Snowmobile Congress as the #1 event to promote “Go Snowmobiling” in Canada. Linda volunteered for many years as a PEISA board member and for her local club, the Springside Snowmobile Club. It is safe to say that Linda has played a major role in putting the Prince Edward Island Snowmobile Association on the map.

2018

Garth Reid

Garth has been an asset to the PEISA and KASA. He has taken charge of the trail from Stanley Bridge to Rustico, ensuring that signs go up and come down and clearing any trees or limbs that block the way. Most importantly, he has helped develop relationships with landowners in this area. The Pinetree Lodge is on his section of the trail, and Garth plays a major role in keeping it up and running. Garth served several years on the KASA and was a valuable board member. Congratulations, Garth, on your admission to the PEI Snowmobile Hall of Fame.

Richard Livingstone

Richard has been the announcer for the Prince County Vintage Snowmobile Drag Racing Club since 2007. He has announced every ice race and was an active member of the club. Richard was always willing to lend a hand with race track setup and help the snowmobile racing community. Richard was also an active member of the O’Leary Sno-Riders club in the ’80s and ’90s. Richard served for many years on the PEISA board as one of the western members. He could always be counted on to help resolve issues that arose in his area.

2016

Art Gennis

Art was the founding President and driving force behind organized snowmobiling on PEI. Art recognized the importance of a unified provincial body to secure the support and recognition needed to succeed. In 1991, Art brought Mark Lester of Supertrax magazine to PEI for a two-day ride, leading to a glowing three-page article that put PEI snowmobiling on the map. Art also produced Snowdrift magazine in 1993, which provided information on snowmobile club events and activities across the Island. Art attended the International Snowmobile Congress in 1991 and was instrumental in bringing the 1994 ISC to PEI. His passion and vision for organized snowmobiling on PEI earned him a well-deserved place in the PEISA Hall of Fame.

Ben & Lorna Cairns

Ben started snowmobiling in the late sixties and was well known in the Summerside area, where he played a key role in securing land permits and finding routes for trails. Ben also served as a voice for snowmobilers as a member of the town council. Although Lorna passed away in 2020, and Ben has since given up snowmobiling, their contributions to the sport will be remembered for years to come.

Donald MacLeod

Donald has been a passionate snowmobiler and volunteer for many years, serving various roles within the Kensington and Area Snowmobile Association. He was instrumental in developing the Kensington trail system and continues to work with the organization on land consent forms, tree trimming, and signing trails. Donald represented PEI snowmobilers at the International Snowmobile Congress for three consecutive years starting in 2008.

David MacLeod

David has been a long-serving volunteer in the Eastern area trail system. He has helped trim trees, mark trails, and operate groomers for many years. David has also been a member of the Greenfield Stormriders since its inception and regularly assists with fundraisers. Congratulations to David for his well-deserved induction into the PEISA Hall of Fame.

Cathy Dickieson

Cathy served as the administrator for the PEISA for 23 years, working with over 100 different board members and six PEISA presidents. Her leadership skills and dedication helped keep the organization strong. The Prince Edward Island Snowmobile Association is honored to induct Cathy into the Hall of Fame for her outstanding contributions.

2015

Richard Bernard

Richard was a co-founder, dedicated volunteer, and driving force behind the formation of the Wellington Sno-Riders. He served as president from 1989 until his passing in 2010. The Wellington Sno-Riders honor Richard with a memorial run every season.

Murray MacPherson

Murray was one of the original members of the PEI Snowmobile Association. He served as vice-president and president for several terms, as well as a term as president of the Canadian Council of Snowmobile Organizations.

Gerry Martin

Gerry served as president of the PEISA from 1995 to 2002 and was instrumental in securing the Confederation Trail as part of PEI’s snowmobile trail system. Gerry’s contributions to the snowmobile community will not be forgotten, and he is greatly missed following his passing in 2021.

George Webster

George Webster is well-known as a top Island snowmobile racer and promoter. He once raced against Formula One star Gilles Villeneuve and later served as PEISA president before transitioning into politics.