Seventy five years after he founded the Church Athletic League, Harvey’s vision of sportsmanship, inclusion and opportunity continues to resonate across generations of Kingston athletes.

In the years following the Second World War, Harold Harvey’s daily drive across the Lasalle Causeway was about more than just getting to work.

The CEO of a successful construction company, he would see youngsters hanging around the streets, often with little to do and sometimes getting into trouble.

Harvey believed there had to be a better way.

He had a vision to create an organized sports league where every kid got to play regardless of athletic ability. Harvey believed spiritual development was equally as important, youngsters would have an opportunity to play as long as they regularly attended church or Sunday school.

Within a few short years and with the help of others, the Church Athletic League was formed.

Born in 1898 in Deseronto, ON, Harvey was a tall man for that generation. He stood even taller in the Kingston sports community, making an enormous impact on the lives of generations of young athletes. Creating a sports organization that gave thousands of young people an opportunity to participate in organized sports. A legacy that 75 years later has stood the test of time.

Born in Deseronto

Harvey spent his childhood living in a rented house on Tyendinaga Mohawk Territory. His father, William Harvey, was of Irish descent and started Harvey Construction, working on large projects that included building highways using horses in the pre-machine era. Harold’s father was deeply involved in the community, serving on town council and the school board, volunteering at St. Mark’s Anglican Church in Deseronto, and heading up the Liberal-Conservative Association.

It’s not hard to see where a young Harold Harvey got his sense of community.

Partly influenced by his upbringing, Harold Harvey was a man ahead of his time. He embraced inclusion, and the Church Athletic League’s motto reflected his philosophy, everyone was welcome regardless of, “Race, Religion or Creed.” 

Bringing Together Sports & Religion

Harold Harvey’s granddaughter, Linda Harvey-Rioux, is in her mid-70s and lives in St. Thomas, ON. As a kid she was part of the CAL Bowling League, and remembers her grandfather as a forward-thinking man. Harvey looked beyond racial and religious differences, and saw the CAL grow to 63 churches of every faith and denomination.

‘It was important to him and very important to his vision of what the Church Athletic League was going to be, and to his family,” his granddaughter recalled. ”I think the Harvey’s are all very multi-cultural oriented.”

Mr. Harvey had strong core beliefs and favourite sayings he passed down to his family. Linda remembers her grandfather often saying, “Work hard and keep your feet on the ground.” A modest man, Mr. Harvey strongly believed in never letting success go to your head.

He also believed in sportsmanship, fair play and respect for others. Values he hoped young people would carry forward into adulthood, “If you win say little, if you lose, say less,” adding, “Always shake hands.”

As Linda recalls, “‘these were small things, but at the same time, they’re the values he really believed in and tried to instill into the league.”

Mr. Harvey believed young people needed to be exposed to religion. To participate in the CAL, 80 percent church attendance was mandatory. Churches kept attendance records that were regularly submitted to the league. Some churches like St. John’s Anglican where I played, had a card that needed to be stamped at church.

There is a legendary CAL story about a very good hockey player, the son of a Kingston church leader, who was kept out of the CAL playoffs because his church attendance had fallen just below the required minimum. Despite strong objections from the team, Mr. Harvey held a hard line and did not waver.

In 1965 the CAL made local headlines when they expelled 17 churches for one year for failing to report church attendance. Mr. Harvey said every effort was made to get the reports. Harvey told the Kingston Whig-Standard, “some children will not be able to play through no fault of their own.”

“I telephoned every minister and priest personally and received promises the reports would be sent in. They weren’t and it was the only decision the executive could make.”

Mandatory church attendance eventually disappeared from the league around 1980.

New Arena Built In Portsmouth

With a shortage of ice time in Kingston for the growing league, a proud moment for Mr. Harvey came in 1961. The league opened its new open-air arena on a former limestone quarry in Portsmouth Village. On a cold morning on December 13, 1961, league officials and local dignitaries gathered for the official unveiling of the new recreation centre.

The night before Mr. Harvey’s name had been secretly added to the front of the building, he was unaware until a flag covering the sign was removed during the ceremonies the next morning.

“I had no more words,” Harvey said after the ceremony. “I didn’t expect anything like this.”

When a bystander asked Mr. Harvey if he ever thought the new arena may not become a reality, he replied, “never, not with the help we received from the people of Kingston we couldn’t miss.”

Mr. Harvey, along with sons Bill and Jim Harvey, owned and operated Harvey Construction Company on Hickson Avenue. It would later become known as Glen Lawrence Construction. The Harvey group donated a lot of the materials to build the new rink, as did other local contractors. Much of the labour was donated as local skilled tradesmen worked for free. Mr. Harvey was often there helping right alongside them, and the projected $150,000 cost of the arena came in at around $80,000.

Wolfe Island’s Eileen Coffey worked in the office at Harvey Construction in Mr. Harvey’s later years in the business. She remembers what a terrific person he was, “very unassuming, a kind generous man who always treated his staff really well.” Adding, “he often talked about how important it was that young people attend church.”

Glen Lawrence Orchards

While Mr. Harvey was working towards establishing the CAL in the late 1940s, his family lived on a large property adjacent to CFB Kingston. It was known as Glen Lawrence Orchard, a 60-acre farm with 1,300 apple trees, known for its red McIntosh apples. It was one of the largest apple orchards in Eastern Ontario.

The Harvey family lived on the property in a large farmhouse. Naturally, it also included a big outdoor rink where Harold Harvey enjoyed skating.

Eventually in the mid-1950s as CFB Kingston was growing, the Harvey farm house and orchard was expropriated. The Harvey family was forced to move, relocating farther east along Highway 2 where Mr. Harvey started the Glen Lawrence Subdivision.

His two sons, Bill and Jim, also built homes in the new subdivision and they all became neighbours. Jim had a great love of horses, and he started Glen Lawrence Farms. In that era the Harvey family would put on an annual Horse Show as a fundraiser for the Church Athletic League.

As a kid Linda Harvey-Rioux enjoyed living close to her grandparents and remembers after-dinner walks with Harold Harvey, “to get out of helping with the dishes.” Mr. Harvey always encouraged Linda to pursue a career as a teacher.

“My grandfather’s sister Helen was a nurse, another family member was a teacher, and he was always very focused on service and how important it was to help others,” remembers Linda.

At age 40 after graduating from Queen’s University years earlier, Linda went back to school to earn her teaching degree. Then spent 20 years teaching arts, English, and multi-media at a high school in St. Thomas. ON.

On a nearby large parcel of property next to their subdivision, the Harvey family built and developed the Glen Lawrence Golf Club. They hired Dick Green, a highly regarded golf professional and course designer to assist. It became an 18-hole championship style golf course. When Bill Harvey retired from the construction company, he took it on as a retirement project.

The Harvey’s former homestead at Glen Lawrence Orchard is now part of the training area for CFB Kingston’s School of Communications and Electronics (formerly Signals Corps). A much larger training area for the base is across the road on the north side of Highway 2 and is often referred to as, “The Harvey” by active military personnel.

Mr. Harvey often wore a fedora and his trademark black tie and grey suit. I recall as a kid I would see him occasionally show up at the arena named after him to watch CAL hockey. His presence would create almost a hush as he entered the rink, among both kids and parents. The on-ice penalty minutes also dropped considerably. Mr. Harvey was highly respected in the community and revered by those connected to the CAL.

Baby Boom Fueled Growth In The CAL

The CAL saw explosive growth during the post-war baby boom. That first year in 1951 they had a hundred kids. By the late 1950’s there were 2,500 kids participating in hockey, bowling, softball and baseball. In the formative years basketball and swimming programs were offered, but eventually became part of the YMCA.

Peak participation came in the late 1960’s when the league had 112 hockey teams, over 1,000 bowlers, and total participation reached at least 2,800 and likely touched 3,000. However, when the Centre ’70 Arena was built in late 1969 and Kingston Township Minor Hockey was formed, CAL numbers started to decline.

A book called “The First Ten Years,” written by Rev. T.H. Good told the story of Harold Harvey and the founding of the Church Athletic League. It was published in 1964.

Judge James B. Garvin wrote in the preface, “of the thousands of boys who have passed through the Church Athletic League, no one who adhered to the league constitution has appeared in juvenile court.”

“This in itself is perhaps the greatest memorial to Harold Harvey in demonstrating the beneficial achievements of the Church Athletic League for the City of Kingston and the County of Frontenac.”

Great Legacy

More than 75 years after Harold Harvey formed the Church Athletic League, his legacy continues through his own family. There are three great-great grandchildren playing minor hockey as teenagers in Georgetown, ON. Ethan Pippo is the the oldest of the three, seen visiting the former Harold Harvey Arena while in Kingston for a minor hockey tournament.

In January, 1975 it was a very sad day for Kingston and for CAL players, past and present, when founder Harold Harvey passed away at the age of 76. The CAL cancelled scheduled games to honour his memory.

Longtime friend and CAL champion E.H. ‘Ebby’ Hare fondly remembered Harvey, “if I had a particular goal in life, an ambition, it would be to belong in the same league as Harold Harvey.”

When the Kingston & District Sports Hall of Fame began in 1996, Mr. Harvey was among the group of original inductees. A reflection of his importance to Kingston and the sports community.

Today, more than 50 years after his passsing, Linda Harvey-Rioux knows how proud her grandfather would be to know his vision from 75 years ago remains strong.

“I’m impressed. I think it’s wonderful the Church Athletic League continues and it’s a testimony to his legacy”.

Mark Potter is a longtime Kingston broadcaster and an honoured member of the Kingston & District Sports Hall of Fame. Mark played in the CAL and was a former Head Timekeeper at Harold Harvey Arena.