Rick is a Carstairs Alberta based entrepreneur whose working career began in Victoria BC. As owner and operator of a Men’s Clothing Store and Ladies Ready to Wear in Oak Bay for over 38 Years. Sold about 1998 and is still operating as a Ladies ready to wear under a different name.Then along the way came a Lighting and Show Service Company which began as a satellite of Vancouver based Spectacular Productions. After some time of learning from operating Carbon Arc Searchlights to setting up drapery and electrical for Trade Shows throughout BC and Alberta I had the opportunity to buy out the Vancouver Island Operation. This was done and renamed to Victoria Display and expanded to include Stage and Event Production. I owned or operated this company for over 23 years until selling in 1998. Then with all my smarts (sic) I aquired a degree in Restaurant and Bar Management and built a restaurant in Oak Bay called Pickwicks. Owning a restaurant is something akin to owning a boat. Like a hole in the water to sink money into. After almost 3 years it was time to move on and Pickwicks was sold. During all of this time I still was very involved in volunteering (we will talk about those projects a little later)
My 2 boys Mike and he lives with Donna who has grown up children and is a grandma. Mike works as a journeyman Mechanic in Victoria and has his home on Sooke rd in Victoria.
Marc lives with Caroline and is a Journeyman Motorcycle Mechanic. Has since left that and is now working in Dockyard. He has his house near to Goldstream Park in Victoria.
Looks like there will be no grandkids on the horizon.
I lived in Victoria (Oak Bay) which was then my Grandmothers home till I was married and after a short stint in the Navy worked in the Family business which was 3 doors down form the house. It was not too long until I bought shares and eventually bought our my Mom and Dad so you could say for 54 years I was on the same block.
I remarried in 1994 to Deanna and after a few years she wanted to move to Calgary. We arrived and finally sold the property in Victoria and bought a house. Calgary was becoming too big for us and we moved to Carstairs.
Alberta has been challenging as work for me became more difficult as time went on and it was not until I met Ken my business partner and we started up Escape Coach Lines Ltd www.escapecoachlines.com with 1 bus and another we managed for the Calgary Vipers Baseball that I have found my pleasure zone. Since 2009 we have managed to buy more busses, (we now have 8) and established a state of the art shop. I now am more or less retired and the office and all its related work is done by Ken probably will give up my Class 1 in the next while.
For over 13 of the 18 years of marriage to Deanna was a huge rollercoaster ride. She had been fighting her demons, alcohol and prescription drug addictions to no avail. I did what I could over those years to make sure she was safe and protected. Against all counselling from friends and Dr’s. Unfortunately it got the better of her at the end of 2012. She is now in a better place and not suffering. God bless her. I on the other hand have moved on. No sense dwelling in the past.