A friendship that began more than 50 years ago has inspired a pair of former varsity athletes to champion the new Dalhousie Event Centre. 

By Jodi Reid | For Giving Power

Ian Oulton (BA’66) and Dr. William (Bill) Stanish (MD’70) met while playing varsity football and hockey at Dalhousie in the ‘60s. The two formed an indelible bond and have been close friends ever since. Most days for the last 50 years, they’ve met for an early morning coffee, chat, and some exercise. And while their exercise regime shifted from running to walking along the way, that’s the only sign of slowing down for these seasoned Tigers.

The pair have once again teamed up to work toward a new goal: building the Dalhousie Event Centre. Oulton is a lead donor for the project and Stanish is a donor as well as the lead volunteer for fundraising. The pair were on hand in September 2023 for the official groundbreaking reception for this highly anticipated 60,000-square-foot project.

The Dalhousie Event Centre: A fundamental part of our community

Oulton and Stanish are passionate about the benefits the Event Centre will have for the campus and the broader Halifax communities. The new facility will feature an NHL-sized ice surface, with an alternate floor that will make the centre a premier venue for both Dalhousie and community sports and social events. The facility will also house the new and improved Dalhousie Physiotherapy Clinic, which will provide convenient access to more health services and care, while offering students more hands-on learning opportunities.

Having spent countless hours on the ice as Tigers themselves, Oulton and Stanish know firsthand the value a facility like this can add to campus and community life.

“I believe very strongly that Dal should have a rink on campus,” says Oulton, who saw an opportunity to make a gift that would serve as a catalyst in moving the project from planning to building. “I’m excited this is getting underway – it’s been a long time.”

“I love the idea of the Event Centre being a central hub of our campus,” adds Stanish, recalling the celebratory feeling of Saturday night varsity home games when the former rink would be packed to the rafters. “The appeal for our entire community can’t be overemphasized. This new centre will be a gathering spot for festivals and special events. We want it to be an inclusive attraction for sledge hockey and Special Olympics. Or for alumni to gather for friendly leagues to rekindle old relationships and memories. We want it to be a fundamental part of the community and a magnet for students and neighbours alike.”

Building new memories on old traditions

The pair are quick to joke about their varsity athlete days and have no shortage of rich memories from that time. They recall how Stanish’s “feisty” brand of hockey landed him in the penalty box more often than most players, and how Oulton relied on team meals during the varsity season to relieve the monotony (and lacking nutrients) of his two-meal rotation of macaroni & cheese and bologna with a side of mashed potatoes.

Jokes aside, Oulton and Stanish both credit their time as student athletes as critical to their professional and personal development.

“I’ve always felt gratitude toward Dal for giving me an education in the broadest sense,” notes Oulton, President of Dartmouth’s RKO Steel Limited. “Dalhousie gave me confidence to achieve goals. And with athletics, we learned how to win and lose, and to get along. The ability to communicate and work with people is by far the most important aspect of my business, and I attribute that to athletics.”

“My best friends are still the same people that I played sports with back in the ‘60s,” says Stanish, a Halifax-based orthopaedic surgeon and industry leader in sport medicine. “We’re old codgers now but we still have that same mutual respect and great friendship. It’s a different kind of friendship.”

The two long-time friends will undoubtedly be among the first through the gate when the puck drops in the new facility in 2025. Until then, Oulton and Stanish are enjoying being on the same team once again, stickhandling their way to the goal of bringing the Dalhousie Event Centre to life so students and community members of today can build their own special memories.