LaVerne Erickson, the visionary behind the Rosebud Theatre, the Canadian Badlands Passion Play and most recently Canadian Badlands Ltd. has been honoured as one of 100 Outstanding Albertans.
The Calgary Stampede celebrated its Western Legacy Awards last Thursday. In recognition of the centennial of the Calgary Stampede, they paid tribute to 100 Outstanding Albertans.
The list includes Prime Minister RB Bennett, Premiers Peter Lougheed and William Aberhart, politicians Preston Manning and Nellie McClung, athlete Mark Tewksbury, and wrestling promoter Stu Hart.
Always modest, Erickson told The Mail, “About 30 of the 100 people are living, so I am glad I got it before I passed way. It is nice to be recognized with people who have made an important contribution to the province."
Almost 40 years ago Erickson brought some students out to Rosebud on a camping trip. This became the beginning of what's now Rosebud School of the Arts.
“It has evolved over the years. We called it Rosebud Camp of the Art, a fine arts camping program, and it became a fine arts high school. Then grew into what it is now,” said Erickson.
Next year marks 25 years since the Rosebud School of the Arts Act was implemented, paving the way for the unique institution it has become. Praise for Erickson comes from those who are entrusted to carry on the legacy of the Rosebud Theatre.
“LaVerne Erickson is one of those individuals who truly makes a difference. He is a ‘game-breaker’,” explains Adam Furfaro, Executive Director of Rosebud Centre. “A visionary who can see the miles beyond when you can only see the field right in front of you. In a way he sees the tree at the end of the forest first and then figures out the path to the tree no matter how thick or difficult the trail is. He’ll then cut the tree and turn it into a house while everyone else debates about the path to the tree. He is a true visionary."
Erickson also recognized the potential of the Canadian Badlands Passion Play. Around 1988 he put together a meeting at the Civic Centre to discuss such an idea. He learned the idea wasn’t new, in fact then MP Gordon Taylor had championed the idea in previous years. With Erickson, the vision became a reality.
Another vision Erickson had was a partnership among municipalities in the Badlands with the goal of forwarding a tourism agenda and keeping rural communities vibrant.
“I have been promoting the idea for 20 years, meeting with mayors and reeves and government leaders…talking and talking,” he said.
“It took years to catch on but Canadian Badlands is now the largest municipal tourism corporation in Canada,” said Erickson. “I can’t take the credit for doing much of the legwork, I am just the idea man who can get partners together to take it on their own.”
