March - Ramsay Community Association in Calgary
March - Ramsay Community Association in Calgary March - Ramsay Community Association in Calgary
Ramsay News page 14
PEOPLE IN RAMSAY Beth Carter Ramsay is a diverse and historical inner-city neighbourhood, which is arts-friendly, family-based, and active. We are a village surrounded by green space in the midst of the city. In this monthly column, we will meet one person who helps to define our wonderful community. Fred Holliss — Poet He’s a prolific performance poet, a world traveller, a talented graphic designer, and a highly valued community volunteer. He’s also hard to miss around the neighbourhood in his wonderful purple 1966 Plymouth Valiant Signet convertible. Fred Holliss was born here in Calgary, in Rideau, but was raised around the world. His father was in the oil business and his family moved 19 times in 22 years, living in 7 countries on 5 continents. As Fred says, Now it’s almost a novelty to stay in one place! But Calgary remained home, and after a stint in Sunnyside, Fred found Ramsay in 2000 and made it his home. He likes living in the inner city, in an older neighbourhood that has a unique combination of young and old, rich and poor, with local schools and businesses scattered throughout. It’s great that some people have lived here their entire lives. It’s much more dynamic and interesting – cool people live here, with lots of wacky ideas. Ramsay has a great community feeling where you actually know your neighbours. Fred has had a diverse career to say the least. He originally did a Geology degree at the University of Edinburgh and worked in the oil industry for over a decade. Even though the money was seductive, Fred and the oil industry finally agreed to part ways after the stress got to be too much. He realized that he enjoyed the publishing end of the business, so trained himself as a graphic designer. Along the way and in between, he has produced beer advertisements, formed a punk rock band, repaired motorcycles, hosted a CJSW radio show, trouble-shot computer networks, administrated arts organizations, designed washroom ads, dee-jayed in night clubs, and much more! And did I mention he volunteers to design our newsletter each month? In the early 1990s, Fred started writing poetry to help mend a broken heart. He was surprised when the poetry clicked, long after he was over the girlfriend. Since then he has published five volumes of poetry and is a founding Board member of the Single Onion Poetry Society. They put together ten performances per year – check out their website at www.singleonion.com. Now that he’s over his heartache, Fred’s poetry is leaning more towards witty commentary and social issues, and he can take inspiration from whatever is around him – even Ramsay. Bark Dog Bark Bark dog bark Bark bark dog bark Bark dog bark Bark bark doggy-dog Bark Don’t let the silence fool you The bad thing is out there Whatever the hell it is You better scare it off Bark dog bark Master will come home sooner Bark dog bark Bad thing will depart sooner Bark dog bark The neighbours haven’t shot you Yet. Ramsay News page 15
- Page 1 and 2: R A M S AY C O M M U N I T Y A S S
- Page 3 and 4: CIVIC AFFAIRS Janice Thoroughgood C
- Page 5 and 6: Joe’s Journal Contact us at 268-2
- Page 7 and 8: GOING WILD!!!!!! FAMILY DAY Februa
- Page 9 and 10: C ommunity T idbits C ommunity T id
- Page 11 and 12: Community Health Centre ...committe
- Page 13: TRAFFIC ISSUES Catherine Cartmill T
<strong>Ramsay</strong> News page 14
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