Bruce & Ivy Wiseman

A family owned business since 1989, Bruce’s Recreation is a high quality, service-oriented company.

Bruce Wiseman started working in 1963 with Duffitt Motors Ltd in Clarenville.  He started working there on the gas pumps and over time moved up to manager.  When Gerry Duffitt retired in 1979 Alex Balsom bought out the business at which time Bruce continued working for the business until 1989 when he bought out the recreation division of the business and opened up Bruce’s Recreation and Auto Centre Inc. in Shoal Harbour after working 25 years for other people.  In November 1989, Bruce & Ivy opened their doors with just three other employees.

Aside from wanting to run his own business, Bruce saw a tremendous opportunity for a recreational vehicle store in the Clarenville area.  Twenty-eight years later, the business is thriving and continues to expand. It’s not just the volume of business that has expanded at Bruce’s Recreation, but also the line of products and services offered.  Bruce’s Recreation is one of the largest recreation dealerships in Newfoundland and Labrador. They sell and service industry-leading products from Honda, Ski-Doo, Can-Am, Lund, Forest River and many more!

When Bruce worked with Mr. Duffitt, Ivy was a stay at home mom and looked after his three apartment buildings from home.  When he sold the apartment buildings, Ivy still looked after them for the new owner.  When Bruce worked with Mr. Balsom, Ivy assisted Bruce for three years before they opened their own business.  When their children was small Ivy served with the boy Scouts for several years and thought Sunday School for eight years.

In 2008 Bruce and Ivy took on the Honda car dealership and built a new building in Clarenville and moved all the Honda products at the one location opening as a Honda Power-House Dealer. Both Bruce and Ivy look after the Honda dealership, while their son Brian and wife Lee look after Bruce’s Recreation.     They have 18 employees at Bruce’s Recreation and 18 plus one part time at Honda.

Customer service remains the number one priority at Bruce’s Recreation, and they have a wall full of awards to prove it! Over the years, Bruce’s Recreation and its management and staff have received numerous awards and recognitions including:

• Can-Am Offroad District Dealer Award 2012
• Ski-Doo District Dealer Award 2014
• Certificate of Achievement of 15 years of continued growth and customer satisfaction 1989-2004
• Honda ATV Dealer of the Year – 1990
• Honda Excellence for Financing Achievement
• Bombardier Ski-Doo Regional Dealer of the Year
• Ford Canada Professional Salesman Club
• Sales Leader Award – 1985-86

Over the years Bruce and Ivy have contributed a lot to their Community through Sponsorships and donations. Some of the Sponsors are:

• White Hills/Chair Lift
• White Hills Speedway Race Track
• White Hills Nordic Ski Club Snow Shoe Trail
• Clarenville Middle School/Jersey Sponsorship
• Clarenville Minor Hockey
• Eastlink Event Centre
• RCMP (Golf Sponsor)
• Eastern Health (Motorcycle Ride to Raise Money and Golf Sponsor)
• Ride For Sight Sponsor
• Volunteer Fire Department ( Various product sponsors, Calendar Sponsor)
• Salvation Army Church (Golf Sponsor)
• Newfoundland Labrador Snowmobile Federation
• GB Cross Memorial Hospital Sponsor

Bruce and Ivy have three children Peggy, Bruce JR and Brian and they are the proud grandparents of Devon, Stephanie, Lucas, Tyler & Joshua.

Emergency Contacts
RCMP: 466-3211
Fire Department: 466-7777
Ambulance: 466-3468
Hospital: 466-3411
Poison Control: 1-800-722-1110
Mental Health Crisis: 1-888-737-4668

Photography by Paul Tilley.