Grimston later accused International Ice Hockey Federation vice-president Bunny Ahearne of financially exploiting of the Edmonton Mercurys on a European tour, which led to a physical altercation between them.
He served as a director for the New Westminster Royals and played a leading role in their successful bid to join the Western Hockey League in 1952.
He was a vocal supporter of the Penticton Vees and led a committee to oversee travel arrangements for the team as it won the 1955 Ice Hockey World Championships for Canada.
He was a member of multiple community service groups, served four terms as chairman of the New Westminster Parks Commission and was president of the local Rotary Club.
[11] He also served as president of the New Westminster Athletic Association, and played a leading role in a successful bid by the Royals to join the Western Hockey League in 1952.
[14] In 1941, Grimston predicted the collapse of senior ice hockey in the province due to rumours that sponsors from the British Columbia Interior were tired of supporting expensive amateur teams, and that the Kimberley Dynamiters and the Trail Smoke Eaters would drop down to the lower intermediate level classification to save money.
The Trail Daily Times denied the rumors and stated a desire to remain at the top level and be eligible for the Allan Cup.
[16] At the next CAHA general meeting in 1943, Grimston was appointed to the committee to oversee minor ice hockey in Canada, and was named one of three trustees for the Edmonton Journal Cup.
Although the brothers faced a possible suspension since the demands were too high, Grimston stated a preference to have amateur finances in the open rather than under-the-table bonuses being given.
[27] During five years as president of the BCAHA, Grimston was credited by The Canadian Press for keeping junior ice hockey operational in British Columbia despite the challenges of the lack of facilities and dwindling attendance during the war.
[16] Grimston was elected second vice-president of the CAHA in May 1947, receiving more votes than Manitoba Amateur Hockey Association president Jimmy Dunn.
[31] In the weeks leading up to the 1948 general meeting, the CAHA considered two proposals to semi-professionalize player contracts in junior and senior hockey.
The committee also rejected calls to drop the word amateur from its name, and stated that the CAHA was built upon teams which operated as a community efforts and that profits were invested into development of minor hockey.
[35][36] The committee also agreed that the CAHA should seek for the professional-amateur agreement with the NHL to be amended with respect to the placement of players and avoid concentrating talent in certain geographic areas.
[40][41] Grimston supported the concept and sought to stabilize Allan Cup competition, insisted that the proposed contract have a termination clause, and wanted to resolve the differences since he felt that the leagues might break away from the CAHA and become professional without an agreement in place.
[53][54] In July 1951, Grimston announced that the Edmonton Mercurys were chosen to represent Canada in ice hockey at the 1952 Winter Olympics in Oslo.
[56] Swiss newspapers criticized the rough play by Canada and the United States team, and questioned whether hockey should be part of the Olympics.
Grimston felt the games were tame compared to North American standards and that the Olympics would suffer without hockey which was its biggest attraction.
[57] Canada and the United States played to a draw in the final game of the round-robin, which placed the teams first and second respectively in the standings for the gold and silver medals.
[58] Grimston dismissed the charges as silly, and implied that they were made in relation to the Soviet Union team's intention to begin participating in hockey at the Olympics in 1956.
[62] The Edmonton Mercurys continued playing after "heated discussions" in which the team threatened to shorten the tour and accused Ahearne of "siphoning profits" beyond his 10 per cent cut.
[60][66] The CAHA ratified an agreement Grimston reached with the NHL and its minor leagues, which set a deadline of January 15 for drafting players from the Major Series with exceptions only for emergency replacements.
[66] Grimston had indefinitely suspended Guyle Fielder during the 1950–51 season, for failure to report to the minor league affiliate of the Chicago Black Hawks after the player had signed a C-form which a financial bonus in exchange for a future commitment.
The CAHA recognized that the C-form was a controversial clause since its incorporation into the agreement with the NHL in 1947, and that it had been frequently criticized by the media, coaches and players' parents as slavery.
[68][69][70][71] The resolutions committee agreed to ask for revisions to the agreement with respect to the C-form, the size of reserve lists and the right of the NHL to sponsor to junior players and teams.
[77] In July 1954, the CAHA announced that the 1954 Allan Cup champion Penticton Vees were chosen to represent Canada at the 1955 Ice Hockey World Championships in West Germany.
[78] Grimston felt that the Vees were strong enough to win the World Championships without the need to have the CAHA add extra players, and were aware of the style of play differences in Europe.
He was a leader in the organization and growth of Canadian amateur hockey; he assisted financially and morally - every type of sport found in the Royal City.
[8] The BCAHA established the Doug Grimston Memorial Trophy, awarded to the champion team of the AAA bantam age group in British Columbia.