Wendy Slattery

A lifelong champion of tennis in Orillia, Wendy Slattery was honoured in the builder category for her decades-long dedication to growing the sport.

From her childhood in England to grassroots initiatives in Orillia, Slattery’s passion for tennis never waned. In 1964, after moving to Canada, she helped paint lines on a paved schoolyard to create a playable public surface. That spirit never left her.

Over the years, Slattery served as president of Brewery Bay Tennis Club and later helped form the Orillia Tennis Club, guiding it through court closures, city negotiations, and rapid growth. Her leadership helped secure court access, expand programming, and advocate for tennis in civic plans.

“I may have had the vision,” she said, “but I didn’t do it alone. I worked with so many wonderful people along the way.”

She credited her fellow executive members, coaches, and the city’s parks and recreation staff and noted that tennis in Orillia is now thriving with more members, tournaments, and inter-club play than ever before.

“Tennis is a lifelong sport,” Slattery said. “And I like to think I’m proof of that.”