2026 Annual General Meeting Recap

2026 Annual General Meeting Recap

Tuesday, March 31, 2026

Board Members in Attendance: Dietrich Sider, Sebastien Martel, Dave Waithe, Dwayne Dowdell

Regrets: Daniel Abthorpe, Ken Darcovich

Meeting Called to Order: 7:20 pm

1) Approval of 2025 AGM Minutes

  • Moved by: Karen Dotto

  • Seconded by: Brian Guthrie

2) President’s Report (Presented by Laurie Dotto)

  • Centrepointe Course Grand Opening: Over 10,000 rounds played in the past year!

  • City of Ottawa Relationships: Significant inroads made with senior officials. The New Course Committee is building relationships with City Councilors and Park Planners.

  • Community: Various clinics held with schools and seniors' groups.

  • Local Leagues: LETS, TOSS, ICE, and Glowie continue to remain strong.

  • Local Tournaments: Success with CWE, 4th Ottawa High School tournament, and PLAID #28.

  • Acknowledgements: Thanks to League Coordinators and Tournament Directors: Ben Svetkoff  & Geoff Penton (ICE), Mark Atos (TOSS), Dietrich Sider (PLAID), Jarrod Linthorne (GLOWIE), Brenda Cox & Marie MacGillivray (CWE), and Justin Correia (LETS).

  • Player Achievements: Members competed in Ontario Provincials, Quebec tournaments, Canadian Championships, US tournaments, and World Championships.

  • Usage Highlights (UDisc): * Centrepointe: 3,429 recorded rounds (Estimated 8,000–10,000 total).

    • Kanata: 2,811 recorded rounds.

    • Note: Multipliers typically range from 3.9x to 6.5x, though Ottawa may have more specific local data.

  • Action for All: Record rounds on UDisc or use the “Activity Round” feature (Start round > Customize > Toggle "Scoring Off").

3) Treasurer’s Report (Presented by Laurie Dotto for Ken Darcovich)

  • Balance (Dec 31, 2025): $4,672.64.

  • Membership: 107 members (Down 20 from 2024).

  • 2025 Revenue: $3,680 (Includes 13 Club Supporters @ $100).

  • 2025 Expenses ($4,053): IT/Website ($637), Merchandise ($2,125), Sponsorships ($1,050), ODSA Fees ($30), AGM Expenses ($258), Bank Fees ($115).

  • 2026 Estimated Expenses: ODSA ($35), Sponsorships (~$1,500), Kanata Land Use Agreement (Fee eliminated), Shopify/Website ($557), IT ($150).

  • Future Outlook: ODGC seeking Not-For-Profit status; rebuilding the New Course fund; tracking league financial activity for CRA compliance.

4) Membership Report (Presented by Dave Waithe)

  • 2026 Fees: $30 Individual, $60 Family (2+), $100 Club Supporter.

  • Renewals: Approximately 50 members to date.

5) New ODGC Annual Awards (Presented by Sebastien Martel)

  • Awards to be presented at the 2027 AGM.

  • Annual Awards: Player of the Year (Male & Female).

  • Special Awards: Spirit Award and Ambassador Award (awarded for exceptional circumstances).

6) New Course Update - Part A (Presented by Sebastien Martel)

  • Gatineau: "Le Parcours des Draveurs" opening Spring 2026. Funded by Ville de Gatineau.

  • Layout: Beginner-friendly (150–200 ft holes) with heritage-themed hole names and signs by Greg Beard.

7) New Course Update - Part B (Presented by Ken Lange)

  • Committee Changes: Laurie Dotto, Lee Donovan, and Dave Waithe have stepped down. Brian Guthrie, Geoff Penton, and Jacob Mainville have joined.

  • Action: Seeking two additional volunteers for the committee.

  • Current Proposals:

    • Barrhaven (Water’s Bend)

    • Orleans (Francois Dupuis Park)

    • Convent Lands (1754 St. Joseph Blvd.) – Moving quickly.

  • Centrepointe: Goal to expand to 18 holes.

  • Other Initiatives: Practice baskets in Barrhaven East; re-evaluating Britannia Bay.

  • Action for All: Look for potential sites and complete "Engage Ottawa" surveys.

8) Ontario Provincials (Presented by Dwayne Dowdell)

  • Dates: Sept. 18–20, 2026, at Ferguson Forest and Sandy Row.

  • Team: TDs Dwayne Dowdell & Angelica Haggert; Assistants Drake Baird, Dietrich Sider & Geoff Penton; Kyle Kilbride (Merchandise).

9) Other Upcoming Events

  • Larrimac Open: April 18

  • Sandy Throw: May 9

  • CWE (Kemptville): May 24

  • Lucky Lines Open II: June 20–21

  • ECAN (Ettyville): Aug 21–23

  • Falling Colors (Member Only): Sept 27

  • Plaid Jacket #29: Oct 4

10) Tags & Leagues

  • Mondays: Gemmill Park (Starts May 11)

  • Tues/Thurs: Ettyville

  • Wednesdays: LETS – Larrimac (Starts May 6)

11) Communications Update (Presented by Dietrich Sider)

  • New Lead: Aaron Goulding has volunteered as Communications Lead.

  • Goals: Website refresh with more photos and focus on youth/women/seniors.

  • Socials: Discord (26 channels) and Facebook (1,800+ members) remain primary tools.

12) Board Membership & Elections

  • Outgoing Members: Dave Waithe, Sebastien Martel, and Daniel Abthorpe.

  • Continuing Members: Dietrich Sider, Dwayne Dowdell, and Ken Darcovich.

  • New Members (Acclaimed): Brian Guthrie and Jacob Mainville.

  • Platforms: Focus on new courses, player engagement, social media growth, and website currency.

  • Note: A 6th Board Member will be appointed by the new Board soon.

13) President’s Vision

  • Complete Kanata upgrades (tee pads/signage).

  • Lobby for 18 holes at Centrepointe.

  • Add Disc Golf to the City of Ottawa Master Plan.

  • Grow membership and skills clinics.

Open Floor / Q & A

  • Declining Membership: Discussion on providing value beyond "swag" (e.g., lower tournament fees, parties, or PDGA subsidies).

  • Outreach: Suggestions for university engagement (uOttawa, Carleton, Algonquin) and corporate "Disc Golf Days."

Adjournment

  • Adjourned: 9:05 pm

  • Motioned by: Ken Lange; Seconded by: Marie MacGillivray

  • Minutes taken by: Brian Guthrie

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