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Grim prognosis for Moose Jaw's cultural visionary
Elizabeth Withey, The Edmonton Journal


MOOSE JAW, Sask. - It has been a bittersweet year for Moose Jaw resident Gary Hyland.

On one hand, Moose Jaw's culture scene is booming, largely due to Hyland's passion for promoting the arts in his hometown. This year, like Edmonton, Moose Jaw is a Cultural Capital of Canada. The federal program has helped Moose Jaw roll out an ambitious events calendar, including performances by a new theatre company, a musical about the city's rich history and the Western Canadian Music Awards Oct. 18-21.

But in January, as the city celebrated its new title, Hyland was being diagnosed with amyotrophic lateral sclerosis, or Lou Gehrig's disease, a neurodegenerative disorder that destroys the motor neurons controlling the muscles.

They say I've got a galloping case," Hyland said. "I've got maybe a year until it finishes me off."

The retired high school English teacher and published poet has a long list of cultural coups, all done on volunteer time. He is the founder of the Saskatchewan Festival of Words, which draws prolific writers from across the country to Moose Jaw each year. He spearheaded the city's Cultural Capital application and was the driving force behind the development of the Moose Jaw Cultural Centre, which showcases visual and performing arts. Among his many honours, Hyland was named a member of the Order of Canada in 2005 and is only person to win the Moose Jaw Citizen of the Year award twice.

While the disease tightens its paralytic grip on Hyland's ability to walk and speak, the 67-year-old continues to work at a frenetic pace for culture in Moose Jaw. He has officially stepped down as the Festival of Word's artistic director, but still spends many hours a week in the office.

"I'm supposed to be doing exercises, but I don't have time to do them."

Moose Jaw's cultural community is already feeling the loss as it witnesses the rapid physical decline of the city's cultural visionary.

"Everyone feels depressed about it," said Graham Hall, the cultural centre's artistic director. "He's an astonishingly powerful human being. Without him, there would not be a leader. There would not be a voice that won't go away. Every community needs a voice that says, 'I'm not shutting up, deal with it.' "

"This community will have a huge hole in it when Gary's not here," city councillor Dawn Luhning said. "He is Moose Jaw culture, really."

Jeff Beesley, a TV and film director, grew up in Moose Jaw and has known Hyland since making a documentary about him in the mid-'90s.

"If I had my way, we'd erect a statue 20 storeys high for what Gary Hyland has selflessly done for this community," Beesley said. "He's the most visionary, bombastic, shoot-from-the-hip guy I've ever met."

Hyland downplays all the praise. He says his many cultural triumphs are simply the product of dreams that got carried away, or naysayers who "shocked and galvanized" him into action.

"I love when people say 'You can't do that in Moose Jaw,' " he said. "Watch us."

Hyland's sharp wit and spirit remain unaffected, but his body is deteriorating quickly. He no longer has the neck strength to hold up his head. He struggles to type e-mails because his fingers are so stiff. He no longer eats in public because he can't control his facial muscles. Eventually, Hyland will be unable to breathe or swallow.

To cope, Hyland keeps busy. He continues to fight for culture in Moose Jaw -- with the help of his walker, which he has nicknamed Cecil, and his wife and caregiver, Sharon Nichvalodoff.

Nichvalodoff says Moose Jaw will have to hitch up its britches to keep the city's culture scene from dying alongside her husband, but Hyland is confident the community will keep his cultural vision alive. And while his dedication to Moose Jaw has consumed so much of his life, Hyland has no regrets. He would have liked to try his hand at fiction. But that just wasn't meant to be.

"The world's got enough novels," he said. "But not enough Moose Jaws."


ewithey@thejournal.canwest.com

http://www.canada.com/edmontonjourna...bed1b8&k=82596