DAWSON CREEK – Northern Lights College will be recognizing one of Dawson Creek’s best-known performers with an Honourary Associate of Arts Degree.
Roy Forbes – sometimes better known as “Bim” – will receive the honourary degree during the convocation ceremony for the Fort St. John campus at the North Peace Cultural Centre on Friday, June 8 at 2 p.m.
Unfortunately, due to scheduling issues, Forbes is unable to attend the convocation for the Dawson Creek campus on May 11. But details of his honourary award distinction will be included in all convocation programs.
Forbes is being honoured in recognition of his contributions to the performing arts, not only in the Peace region but also throughout the province and the country.
The College has conferred 10 honourary degrees, with Ben Heppner the first to receive such recognition, in 1994.
The degree is a way for Northern Lights College to recognize a person who has helped increase the profile of the city of Dawson Creek, explained NLC president D. Jean Valgardson.
“We are proud to be able to recognize the accomplishments of Roy Forbes. He has meant a lot to the growth of the musical and performing arts culture in Dawson Creek. He has become not only an important personality provincially and nationally, but he is someone we are proud to say is from Dawson Creek,” Valgardson said.
Individuals who qualify to receive an honourary degree must have made some direct and significant contribution to the region served by Northern Lights College, and have a reputation or profile of distinction and excellence which extends beyond the regional boundaries of the College and which is worthy of association with the College.
Nominations are received within the College community by the Registrar’s Office and forwarded to the Education Council for initial review. The College Board makes the final decision on conferring degrees.
Forbes grew up in the Dawson Creek area, graduating from South Peace Secondary School in 1971. At the age of 18, he moved to Vancouver to begin his musical career, and by the end of that year his songwriting, singing and guitar playing were already making headlines. His 1971 appearance at Vancouver's Queen Elizabeth Theatre was just one of the highlights of those first few months in Vancouver.
In the three and a half decades since, Forbes has developed into one of Canada’s most original, dynamic, and exciting performers. He has produced many solo albums and garnered numerous awards, including two Juno Award nominations and a West Coast Music Award.
His songs have been performed and recorded with and by a myriad of other performers and have been used as source music for movies, television, and film scores. Forbes is also known for his impressive record collection, which he showcases on CBC’s 'Snap Crackle Pop' and on his weekly radio show - 'Roy's Record Room' - for Alberta's CKUA Radio Network.
Forbes has also participated as a resource leader/ mentor at songwriting workshops and panel discussions across Canada. The work that he and Bill Henderson have done at the Ryga Centre in Summerland for the past 11 years has evolved into the creation of an accredited songwriting program through Okanagan College.
As well as receiving his honourary degree, Forbes will also be taking to the stage in Dawson Creek. He will be giving a performance at the Kiwanis Performing Arts Centre on Saturday, June 9 with half of the proceeds going to KPAC.
Donna Kane of the NLC Foundation also made a proposal to Dawson Creek city council to have a thoroughfare named after Roy Forbes. City council approved the proposal at their May 7 meeting and will rename the portion of 11th Street from 96th Avenue to 97th Avenue “Roy Forbes Drive.”
|
