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Local golf pioneer remembered

R.A. Brown made a very big contribution to Qualicum Beach
23646parksvillerededication
Doug Ebbett

A small clan of friends and family members gathered at the Memorial Golf Course in Qualicum Beach recently to honour a key aspect of the community’s past.

The group, made up of members of the Brown family and board members from the golf course and members of the 100th anniversary celebration steering committee, met on Sunday, August 28 to re-dedicate the R.A. Brown monument, which was originally unveiled in 1993.

The monument commemorates one of the key historic families in Qualicum Beach. R.A. (Bobby) Brown bought the Home Oil Company in 1952, along with what has become known as the Brown property as a summer and weekend home. He bought the adjoining golf course in 1955 and when he died in 1972, the Brown family sold the golf course to the municipality.

The golf course itself was first opened in 1913, making it the fourth oldest in B.C.