Paul-Iplex

One of Swift Current's most prominent citizens will be remembered today at the iPlex.

Earlier this week, Paul Rezansoff passed away at the age of 73. He was the first art teacher at the Swift Current Comprehensive High School, and went on to co-found the Swift Current Allied Arts Council, the local art gallery and the Sky Centre at Living Skies Casino.

"I started to call him the gentle giant," said Lenn Enns, former Golden West Radio broadcaster and friend of Rezansoff. "I think it was just a matter of looking at him - and there's that six-foot-four, and about two axe handles across looking down on you, and I thought to myself, maybe I better be on your side."

Enns spent years volunteering with Rezansoff on the Swift Current Allied Arts Council and produced the program Arts Beat on CKSW.

"Paul had an interest in the community that spoke volumes of his involvement. It was stem-to-stern involvement and there were meetings galore," Enns said. "I think Paul was also very quick to recognize there were people around him that were certainly a part of who he became and his effectiveness."

In a 2008 interview with Rezansoff called the Swift Current Allied Arts Council's long history as "a grand experiment" because it showed the community wanted the arts and was prepared to pay for the events.

"We support of the arts, the idea, the whole the notion of having the arts as part of our life," he said. "The support system in the community has to be in place so the artists have a place to perform, and an audience to perform to, so they can be appreciated."

Rezansoff helped bring nearly 400 performances for the Allied Arts Council. In 2001, he received the Order of Canada and named Swift Current Citizen of the Year in 2008.

"I think that the important thing is to provide children and the community the opportunity to enjoy and appreciate the arts, and that means quality education programs but even non-credit quality education programs that could be attained through the gallery, through the Lyric Theatre and cultural development. And where kids could have an opportunity to practice their art and even just  to appreciate that art - to go enjoy themselves, to go and and see performances... It's a life-time situation - it's something that  you can enjoy forever. As long as you can physically sit in the seat, you can be there and enjoy yourself in the process," Rezansoff said.

The memorial service starts at 2pm today in the iPlex.