Ian Milne was one of Ottawa’s most accomplished squash promoters and planners during the heyday of our game in the 1970s and 1980s. The ODSA was sorry to note the passing of Ian Milne at the age of 87, on March 20, 2021.
Ian emigrated from Scotland to Canada in the 1960s and eventually settled with his family in Ottawa in 1970, where he established a highly regarded dentistry practice. As a great supporter of young people, he contributed his services once a week to the Children’s Hospital of Eastern Ontario for over 25 years. He also mentored many young aspiring orthodontists, as well as well as being a past President of the Canadian Orthodontic Association. Family, fishing and golf were always big in his life, but squash then became another lifelong passion.
When the International version of squash racquets was reborn in Canada in the 1970s, after a 50 year abeyance, Ian took a very active role, joining the Skyline Squash, and later the Rideau Tennis & Squash and the Ottawa Athletic Clubs. He was President of the National Capital Squash Racquets Association (now the ODSA) from 1975-1977, and then President of Squash Ontario in 1978/79.
During the period from 1970 to 1983, when Ian was so active on the Ottawa scene, the game reached the apex of its popularity, with 37 new courts alone being built in the eight month period to May 1977, bringing the total to 65 at that time, and subsequently exceeding well over 100.
With modern new courts, some with large viewing galleries, came large events for which Ian and others were responsible for attracting to Ottawa. These included the 1977 World Amateur Team Championship, the 1982 World Junior Women’s Individual Championship, as well as exhibition matches featuring then current world champions like Geoff Hunt, Heather McKay, and past champion Hashim Khan. During this period many National and Provincial tournaments were also awarded to Ottawa.
At the club level, he was very actively involved with organizing club tournaments and city league teams, but will particularly be remembered for his part in coordinating the very successful annual Rideau Summer Team tournament, which attracted top players (professional and amateur) from all over Eastern Canada.
Ian will be fondly remembered by his contemporaries, for his warmth, wit, patience and ability, and for his many contributions to the game of squash. Our condolences go to Janine, his widow, and all the family.