(16 March 1906- 24 March 1978), businessman. Born in the 8th Concession of Lancaster Township, GC. Parents: Jean-Baptiste Menard and his wife Antonia Quenneville. Wilfred Menard operated a garage in Moose Creek, but later moved to Green Valley, GC, in 1933 and began road construction. He founded and was for many years the sole owner of Menard Construction, of Green Valley. This well-known company provided much local employment over many years. It is also not unimportant that it provided a valued image of GC achievement in the difficult years around the 1950s, when GC achievement lagged in so many areas. Menard Construction was reported at the beginning of 1955 to be the first local firm to get work on the St. Lawrence Seaway project. (Glengarry News 13 Jan. 1955) Wilfred Menard is described also as having “organized and operated the first school bus transportation system in Eastern Ontario.” (obituary, GN)

     In terms of church and community service, we may note the following: active in the founding of Ste-Marie-de-l’Assomption parish, Green Valley, separate school trustee, chairman of the original fund drive for Glengarry Memorial Hospital and member of the hospital’s board of directors, member of the Knights of Columbus and of the Alexandria Richelieu Club, active in the promotion of sports and one of the financial backers of the Glengarry Gardens (arena and sports centre) in Alexandria.

     In 1970, the plant and business of Menard Construction was sold to the Hope and Touchette partnership of Alexandria. (GN 30 July 1970) Wilfred Menard died in Hollywood, Florida, after a lengthy illness. On 9 Sept. 1929, at St. Raphael’s, he was married to Irene Poirier. (eight children surviving him: 8) Wilfred Menard was described in his obituary (GN) as “a leading figure in the economic and social development of Glengarry County for almost half a century.” See also J. P. Touchette and Angus A. Macdonell.

Glengarry News 29 March 1978 (portrait) * “Arena Seven to Be Inducted in Hall”: on induction of financial backers of Glengarry Gardens into Glengarry Sports Hall of Fame,” GN 11 Aug. 1993 (includes small portrait of charcoal sketch type) * Fraser, Gravestones, III, 20 * obituary of his daughter Mrs Marie Paule Macdonell, GN 27 Feb. 2008 * he is one of businessmen who lend money for Glengarry Gardens, GN 10 Oct. 1952 * silver wedding, GN 10 Sept. 1954 * curling club, GN 2 Dec. 1954 * Menard Construction adds ready-mix concrete as new line, GN 30 July 1959, and is to begin work building Alexandria’s new sewage lagoons, GN 13 Dec. 1962