CANMORE – Once a week Mike Mitrovic gets ready and waits in the Bow River Seniors Citizens Lodge for friend and volunteer Jenn Rowley to take him on a bicycle ride throughout Canmore.
Set up on a rickshaw-style bicycle, peddled by Rowley, the Canmorite senior, who just celebrated his 86th birthday three weeks ago, is able to sit in the front, take in the views, say "Hi" to the local dogs along the paths and sometimes grab an ice cream cone on the way back.
"Honestly for my life, she helps it," Mitrovic said with a smile.
This is the fourth year the two have gone on bicycle rides together and Mitrovic is one of the hundreds of seniors, or local residents with limited mobility, who have taken advantage of Canmore's Cycling Without Age program.
Celebrating its fourth successful riding season, the Cycling Without Age Canmore chapter was the first in Alberta and second in Canada. Now there are more than 20 chapters throughout the country.
Set up with two rickshaw-style electric assist bicycles for the program, the program runs from early spring to late fall with volunteers picking up the participants from the Canmore Civic Centre, the Bow River Seniors Lodge, Origin at Spring Creek or the Canmore Hospital. Trips last approximately an hour.
Introduced to the community in 2016, Lu Douce with Family and Community Support Services was inspired by local couple Lloyd and Ellie Church, after Lloyd modified his bicycle with a trailer to accommodate Ellie's wheelchair, so he could take her on rides as often as possible.
"It is mainly to get seniors, or people with limited mobility out, who could benefit from getting out for some fresh air, sunshine and interacting with the volunteers – those intergenerational relationships are really cool because you know if they are in a care home, they are often only interacting with other seniors or staff, so it's nice for them to get out into the community and still feel like they are part of the community," Douce said.
The Cycling Without Age coordinator said the participants often say it is the highlight of their week and the volunteers love it as well. It is not often you find a program that has too many volunteers, but with only two rickshaw-style bicycles, hundred of participants over the years and more than 40 current volunteers, there is a waitlist to be the peddler.
"I just think it's a really special program," Rowley said.
"I've met people I've never met before and it's phenomenal to hear their stories and a really neat sharing experience."
And while Ellie passed away earlier this summer, the spirit of their rides lives on.
"I would watch Lloyd pick up Ellie and I thought, it would be amazing if everyone in long-term care had the opportunity to get outside and have some fresh air and sunlight then I found the Cycling without Age program and realized, this is how I bring this program to Canmore – this is how we give that opportunity to everyone else," Douce said.
This past weekend, Canmore hosted the annual Cycling without Age summit from Sept. 11-13 bringing chapters from all over North American with a summit group ride on Friday.
Those interested in being part of the Cycling Without Age local program can contact Douce at [email protected] for more information.
