OLDS — The late Bob Clark built a legacy at Olds College that will live on, says Stuart Cullum, the college’s current president.
Cullum paid tribute to Clark, who passed away July 10 at age 83.
Among his many contributions to Alberta and Central Alberta in particular, the Carstairs resident served on the Olds College board for a total of eight years, including three as its chair.
He retired from that position in 2017.
Cullum paid tribute to Clark during a funding announcement ceremony at the college on July 10.
“I want to take a moment to just thank Bob Clark. He’s a friend – he was a friend – to the Olds College, to this community,” Cullum said during a speech.
“And I daresay that this announcement has a lot to do with him and his work as well.”
Clark was still board chair for about a year while Cullum began his new post.
In fact, during an interview, Cullum noted that Clark hired him.
“I had been able to stay in contact with Bob," he said. "I think we had breakfast just a few months ago. He was an amazing man, left an amazing legacy, including on Olds College. But what I would say I appreciate about Bob the most is he was just a nice man. He was a nice man.
“And he really went out of his way to mentor and to provide great advice and I just so appreciated the short time I got to spend with him and to get to know him. He’s going to be missed.”
Clark won’t be forgotten, he said.
“There’s a legacy even here at Olds College. Bob will be remembered for generations because of the mark that he’s left,” he said.
When asked what that legacy is, Cullum pointed to architectural drawings for two expansions of existing buildings at the college totaling $21 million and announced July 10.
“This is the legacy,” he said. “I mean, he was part of the board that oversaw the development of the planning for the animal health education centre.
“He did a lot of the early advocacy work. He shepherded a relationship with government. All those things were critically important to get us here.”
That’s just one part of Clark’s legacy.
Cullum noted Clark was also heavily involved in the creation of other amenities at Olds College, including its new residence and the wetlands, among other things.
“I mean, he’s left his mark on this institution in ways that we can see physically and in ways that we’ll never know,” he said. “But it’s just evident I think, in how Olds College is positioned within this community.
“So I can’t say enough good things about Bob and we just so value his contribution.”
