At one time during the 1930s badminton was one of the powerhouse amateur sports in Ottawa. There were three dedicated badminton facilities in the downtown area, with numerous Canadian Champions, at a time when they had to travel all over Canada by train to compete.
During WW2 badminton lost all of its facilities and most of its top players to the war effort. After the war the sport was reduced to a few church league clubs. In or about 1950 Dave Waddell appeared on the scene and with the help of a very few souls as dedicated as himself turned the sport around. Dave, along with Kieth Holland travelled the length and breadth of the Ottawa and St. Lawrence valleys and gave new life to the Ottawa District Badminton Association. They were vital in having badminton included as a major player in the creation of the current RA Centre in the 50s and passed on their zeal for the sport to a new generation of supporters to carry on their work. Dave Waddell was also probably the main driving force behind the development of the new addition of the RA Centre where the current RA Badminton Club occupies what is unquestionably the best facility in Canada for playing our game. Folks like Marg Thom, June Sanders, Edyth Hayman, Alan Baird and Ian Bishop took the torch and ran with it throughout the valley to development classes in every small town and gym that would have them.
Dave was also heavily involved in the sport he loved at both the provincial and national levels as an executive, an official and a coach. Rare is the badminton player or organizer who has not been touched and inspired by him. A recent social at the RA Centre brought together many past and present from the Ottawa Badminton scene to celebrate a final visit with Dave and memories of 60 plus years of devotion to his sport.
Joe Hager, President O.D.B.A. 1980-85