Richard Watson

Richard Watson is a Presbyterian pastor, an engineer, and the current chair of thee UNA Board. Richard is a long time resident of the UNA.  Richard lives in Hawthorn Place local area.

Each candidate was asked four questions about their connections to, and engagements within, the UNA. I provide the questions and candidates answers below. Rather than asking them about their political platform (we will hear a lot about that throughout the election) I asked them to reflect on the more personal aspects of their lives at UBC in the UNA community.

Describe how you are involved in the life of the UNA community.

Over the years, our family has enjoyed being involved in many community activities - we are community gardeners and our son Julian participated in the children's garden, I've volunteered for children's reading groups, we attended the raising of the Reconciliation Totem Pole, we have organized community Bbq's and block parties. I've been involved on our local building strata council for the past eight years including serving as president. As a UNA elected director, the past two years have been a real privilege, I've have many more opportunities to serve the community: Negotiating with the AMS to successfully produce a Memorandum of Agreement is a highlight for me because it enabled us to move forward with the revised Bylaws and Constitution. Another recent highlight is during the times of Covid isolation we participated in organizing a 7 pm community shout out that resulted in a weekly Bagpipe, trombone, violin and guitar concertina. It was real joy to connect with neighbours in the isolation!

What brought you to live in the UNA community?

We moved into the UNA in July 2006 when I returned to school and obtained a post graduate degree in theology. We were drawn into the UNA because of the proximity and our dog, a Great Pyrenees named Gendarme (Johnny) made the selection process quite bit harder. The Journey building strata in Hawthorn was one of the few places we were aloud a large pet.

Where in Canada, or the world, did you grow up? What about living in the UNA reminds you of your childhood home?

My early childhood was in a neighbourhood next to the University of Calgary - University Heights. The distances were different but the varieties of well educated people was similar to this community. I loved the freedom to room around the neighbourhood as a child and I've noticed children in this one doing the same thing. Later I lived on a hobby farm east of Calgary, Alberta and raised horses. There are not very many similarities between that life and this one but after earning an engineering degree at McGill in Montreal and masters at UofA I also learned there are many advantages to living close to an academic community: cultural diversity, a cornucopia of ideas and people who love to learn and share. The UNA has this is in spades!

How would you describe your normal daily routine?

Year round I rise for an early run across campus at least three days a week. After breakfast with family I spend a bit of time with my son before the work day begins. I work as a pastor at a local church so the rest of the day is spent on a wide variety of activities - mostly meeting with people. More meetings on many evenings and a highlight of the end of each day is a bit of time with my lovely wife Janet.