The Belleville Sports Hall of Fame will add five new members to their shrine this Saturday during induction ceremonies at the Quinte Sports and Wellness Centre.
This week we will feature all five of the new inductees beginning with figure skating athlete and builder Glenn Fortin.
Glenn Fortin’s involvement in figure skating began at age seven when his parents enrolled him in skating lessons at the Quinte Figure Skating Club (QFSC). Recognizing his potential, his coach encouraged him to continue training and from 1978 to 1987, Glenn excelled by earning numerous medals in local, regional, and provincial competitions. In 1987, Glenn had a stellar year, winning gold in Novice Men at the Eastern Ontario Sectional Championships, the Eastern Canadian Divisional Championships, the Ontario Winter Games and the Canadian National Championships. He received Belleville’s 1987 Athlete of the Year Robinson-Kelleher Memorial Award and the Ontario National Achievement Award. Continuing his education at the University of Ottawa in 1988, Glenn trained at the Gloucester Skating Club and won gold at the Eastern Ontario Junior Men’s Sectionals. He placed seventh at the 1990 Canadian National Championships in Junior Men and first in Senior Men at the 1991 Eastern Ontario Sectional Championships.
Glenn’s competitive career ended in 1991 but his dedication to skating continued. Influenced by his parents’ volunteerism in Belleville, Glenn’s volunteer journey has spanned nearly four decades. Glenn trained as a judge and has officiated at numerous Provincial, National and International competitions. He is now qualified as an International Skating Union Championship Judge as well as an International Referee.
Glenn has also contributed as a builder in figure skating in Ontario. He served as a Board member in Eastern and Central Ontario from 1993 to 2005. He continued to shape skating governance in Ontario as a member of the Skate Ontario Board of Directors from 2017 to 2020 and was elected to the Skate Canada Board of Directors in 2020 and is currently the Chair of the Skate Canada Finance Committee.
Recognized with the 2001 Skate Canada Volunteer Award of Excellence, the 2011 Syl Apps Volunteer Achievement Award and the 2023 Skate Canada Billie Mitchell Award, Glenn exemplifies dedication at the highest level to his sport. We proudly induct Glenn Fortin into the Belleville Sports Hall of Fame for his exceptional contributions as both an athlete and builder in figure skating.
Also being inducted on Saturday is Mike Kirby for basketball, Power lifter Steve Stewart, National Hockey League player Greg Terrion and the Belleville Yardmen Benefit Fund Ladies Softball team 1973-1977.
Induction ceremonies are open to the public. They take place Saturday at 1:30 upstairs at the Quinte Sports and Wellness Centre.
