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Born in a St. John’s hospital, but always from Kelligrews / Conception Bay South…our 2026 Hall of Famer can still throw a rock from his bowling centre and hit the home he grew up in. And now he owns that home with his brother Randy, a retired RNC officer and Rod’s partner at Riverdale Fun Centre in Kelligrews, CBS.
Rod grew up in that nearby picturesque community, and his love for it has never waned. Early memories of playing hockey on the pond, to winning championships in several sports for his local teams, both as player and coach…he’s gotten a lot out of his beloved community, and he’s given a lot back.
Rod has been an avid sportsman, enjoying all opportunities for competitive fun. From ball hockey to slow pitch to fast pitch…All Star ice hockey to soccer…he’s got an impressive resume. And not only as a player, but as an All Star team and Championship team coach as well.
As a bowler, however, he never considered himself strong in the sport. He had reached a 200 average at one point, and he did make the Nationals of the Classified in 2004, competing in Thunder Bay. “It was a great experience,“ he recalls, reflecting on how those great face-to-face events sadly no longer make financial sense.
But Rod’s initial connection to bowling begins far before that with Rod’s Grandmother, Emma Hennesey. Emma started Riverdale Furniture, which opened in 1980. The assistant manager, Rick, who was running it for Emma was a loyal employee who had worked for her for years, and she turned over half the company to him, with the other half going to Ted Hennessey, Rod’s father. Things were going well for the business… they’d built a big warehouse in Kelligrews, and had extended to a second retail location in St. John’s. But then the Kelligrews location and warehouse burned down in 1988, where the bowling centre stands today. Father Ted’s partner Rick bought Ted out to continue the St. John’s location, and Ted searched out new opportunities.
Bowling was plenty popular at the time. Hockey’s Howie Meeker had moved out to St. John’s and was involved with Brunswick, pushing bowling on the Island. At one point they had a bowling show on local TV, shot at Holiday Lanes, which at the time was a 32 lane facility…24 lanes of fivepin and 8 lanes of tenpin. Rod’s mother, Dallas was even an NL5 provincial champ for a couple of years.
When Ted was looking for his next business opportunity, he wanted something different. He decided on a bowling centre and built Riverdale Lanes, a 12 lane fivepin centre complete with a large banquet hall and 2 bars. The centre opened in October, 1990, and Ted placed Rod as the centre’s manager. A few months later, however, they had a falling out and Rod went his own way in January 1991.
That May, sadly, Ted passed away and Rod returned to the centre to help out and fill the void. By then, Ted had replaced Rod with a manager after Rod had left. Rod has always been a numbers and finance guy, and upon returning to the centre he quickly found the business was in trouble and deep in debt. As Executor for his dad’s estate, Rod jumped in to reset course, with brother Randy stepping up as well. It was quite the learning process for a 25 year old, but he kept at it until he righted the ship…and to this day Rod and Randy remain partners at Riverdale Fun Centre, with Randy the silent partner, and Rod the Managing Partner.
Now in the bowling world, Rod strove to learn more about it. In 1992 he attended his first Bowl NL meeting, and incredibly, was asked to run for the position of President in his first season! And so he did.
Attending his first Bowl Canada meeting in 1995 left a strong impression on him. It was Montreal, and he was delighted to meet and learn from members from across the country, and take in their vast experience which he found everyone quite happy to share. He met the late Ed Perry of Calgary, who Rod says he will always be grateful to. Ed was completely open to helping the young Newfoundlander in his quest to bring new ideas to the Rock. Ed introduced him to Bowl Alberta’s then-Executive Director Grady Long, who shared many of the provincial programs and tournaments which Rod was happy to take home and put to work in NL for his members and community back home.
Making connections in Montreal, Rod was noticed as potential for the National Board of Directors…initially as Atlantic Rep, but then as President of Bowl NL, a newly minted position on the National Board. He was the first to hold the position, which he retained from 1996 to 2004, and again from 2008 to 2010.
By that time, his abilities were clear and he was encouraged to move up to the National Executive, where he could be better put to work. From 2010-2012 he sat as Corporate Secretary of the Bowling Proprietors Association of Canada, Bowl Canada’s original name.
2012 saw him turn to the position of Treasurer…a role he excelled in and took very seriously until 2017. He’s reportedly the most single-minded watcher of funds Bowl Canada has ever had, holding everyone to task when potential motions or actions would not be fiscally responsible, or a good investment of the association’s resources.
In 2017 he returned to the role of Secretary for one year, and a year later, 2018 in Calgary, he was elected Bowl Canada President, a position which he held for 4 years, becoming only the 3rd member in Bowl Canada history to hold the position so long. The first two were Kelowna’s Bryan Sargeant, and Todd Britton of Winnipeg.
All together, that’s a total of 22 years volunteering in bowling alone!
Throughout his term, Rod helped the Board face many challenges…He was part of the team that transitioned BPAC into Bowl Canada, and was involved with Bowl Canada’s transition to, and continuance under, the New NFP Act.
Additionally, he was the only bridge between the old Board of 22 people, and the new Board of 5, ensuring continuity under a big change in our governance system.
Rod’s Presidency at Bowl Canada can be described as the most turbulent in our history. During his term we learned of the treachery C5 and CTF had been working on with Sport Canada to remove proprietors from the Bowling Federation of Canada. After several tense meetings and phone calls with Sport Canada management, he was able to get Sport Canada to admit to a lie, but they washed their hands of the matter and left it to the Federation to work out themselves. We all know how that went. Though 7 or 8 years later he admits “I still hold frustration and resentment towards C5 and CTF for their actions at BFC. And towards Sport Canada as well. What they jointly did to our sport is an absolute shame. Imagine, a Canadian Heritage Sport not being recognized by the Government of Canada. Fivepin bowling has lost about $150,000 per year thanks to them. Good job!”
At the same time that we learned the BFC was changing, the pandemic hit. While fighting to keep his 2 centres alive, he also had to make some tough decisions for our association, which we will forever be grateful for. Not an easy go of it, he was undaunted nonetheless…and as he does, he fought hard for what’s right for the industry.
When Covid seemed never ending, and we were adapting to online meetings, etc., he decided to use the time at home to take out 4 lanes to enact his latest plan…his redemption centre. He had also purchased 3 golf simulators, which he’d been looking to get for the last year to place in his Banquet Hall. Having received the simulators, and with no customers allowed to come in and enjoy them, he and his friends just had to make use of them to try them out. He’d found a passion for golf years earlier, after quitting hockey due to arthritis. The golf didn’t aggravate his arthritis, he found, so the simulators brought back the bug and he remains smitten by it to this day. 160 rounds of golf last year, including a trip to Florida with buddies for 10 rounds in 6 days.
As we were coming out of Covid, Rod launched his Redemption Centre to great acclaim, and credits friends such as Trevor Peters, Todd Britton and Shelby Chrest for sharing their experience and helping him move his centres into the new era.
And as he does, he gave back, putting on a seminar at the 2022 AGM in Vegas to show other proprietors how he worked through the process of starting in Redemption to help them on their way. He proved that not only large centres can get involved in these initiatives and benefit as well.
“Networking and knowledge sharing, to me, is the biggest benefit of Bowl Canada.” Rod tells us. “I’ve always believed in the mantra of passing along help, just as you receive it. Our people are upfront and honest, and willing to share…that’s invaluable, and it’s rubbed off on me.”
Asked what he’s learned from his time on the Board of Directors, he tells us “You can get more accomplished in politics having a beer with someone after a meeting than you can in the meeting itself. And sometimes you have to make a deal to get a deal. I’ve also realized, as time has passed, that I was sometimes more passionate than what was necessary. Something I reflect on at times.”
“But what I’ve learned mostly is that I was very fortunate to know and work with good people over the years…Wayne Peacock of Mount Pearl was a mentor to me in the early days, and always found a way to make lemons into lemonade. Rick Hunter of Saskatoon took me under his wings, as did Chuck Cole and many others as I continued on. I would have to say that my biggest accomplishment was creating a network of great people who were very helpful to me personally, and as a proprietor and Executive member of the association.
Now settled into a retirement transition, Rod sold Old Mill Lanes 2 years ago and these days works 3 hours a week in the summer at Riverdale, and 10-12 hours through winter. He’s still doing the books and payroll (because he still loves them numbers), and fixing the machines in the redemption centre as needed. With Mike Dwyer now managing the centre he can feel confident to work at a new pace. He likes to go into the centre on rainy days in the morning to help Mike with repairs and maintenance, but when the door opens for business, he’s gone.
His son Ryne asked him recently…“Dad, at one point you had 2 bowling centres, a construction company, ran and helped Ruby run a senior home AND had time for the Bowl Canada Board…How’d you do it?” Rod’s answer; “Buddy, I don’t know but, with the support of Ruby and her constant help, we made it happen.” Passion can fill sails with wind. And Ruby’s constant support enabled it.
Rod keeps out of trouble by keeping busy renovating the cabin, helping his daughter Amber with her home, and sons Ryne and Paul when needed. He and Ruby love their grandkids Amelia (9) and Liam (3), spending as much time as they can spoiling them.
On April 27th Ruby and Rod renewed their vows for their 25th Anniversary. “Kids, grandkids and all.” He says with pride, continuing “The best holiday ever. Doing family things and just even hanging out at the pool/ water slides.”
A few weeks later, on May 25th, Rod was inducted into the CBS Hall of Fame for his many contributions to the community. His resume includes starting leagues and teams in several sports for his community, 6 Soccer Championship titles, top hockey goaltender award in 1984, Challenge Cup finalist in 1990, several high school hockey titles including Most Improved athlete in 1982. He represented Newfoundland in the Senior B Atlantic Junior Championships and won the title. Won the Senior Hockey intermediate title in 1989. He coached the CBS Minor Hocket All Star Team for 6 years, and the Petro Canada ladies league for another 4. The list really does go on. And much of it shows a builder of sports opportunities for the youth in his community. A well-deserved induction, just as ours is today for the bowling industry.
Ladies and gentlemen…Please join us in a big congratulations as we celebrate the induction of our newest Hall of Fame member…
Kelligrews / CBS, Newfoundland’s, ROD HENNESSEY