Auditor blasts office managing assets for elderly, disabled
“You go to the movie theatre and there’s maybe 30, 40 other people in the seats — you walk down the street and everyone says hello.”
At 61 years young, Rob Kroll is still a few years away from official senior citizen status. When it comes to the 65-plus set in his town, though, he understands why so many choose to call High River home.
“High River has a full-service hospital, a new medical centre and a great recreation complex,” says Kroll, owner of Hole in the Wall Antiques, adding with a chuckle, “but you’ve got to watch out for the speeders on their scooters.”
On Wednesday, I take a stroll through High River’s small downtown, a welcoming place with the few roads blocked for construction serving as one of the few reminders of the devastating 2013 flood.
I see everyone from newborns in strollers and giggly teenagers sipping lattes to young office workers and moms with preschoolers.
I also see lots and lots of older people.
That’s no surprise to the residents of High River, who are bucking the trend across the Prairies when it comes to population demographics.
The numbers for the 2016 census are in and — surprise, surprise — the bloated baby boomer cohort is resulting in a surfeit of Canadians who qualify for seniors’ discounts.
For the first time since our country began recording such info, seniors now surpass the population of children 14 and under, with an average 16.9 per cent in the category of 65 and over.
While most of Alberta still boasts more millennials (15 to 34 years of age) than seniors, High River — with nearly 22 per cent of the population 65 and over — leads the overall national trend.
For old-timers like Peter Pascal, who moved here from Calgary with his wife 11 years ago, the reason is a no-brainer.
“You don’t have to deal with traffic jams like we did in Calgary,” says the 88-year-old, whose four kids all live in the city’s south. “It’s a lot quieter but still close to family.”
For some of the younger residents, having so many seniors around comes with challenges. “Driving’s kind of rough,” says 17-year-old Kate Minor with a sigh. “They don’t understand the traffic circles.”
Thom Theroux, a customer service representative at the town’s TD Canada Trust bank, says it can be a bit too quiet after hours.
“You have to drive to Calgary if you want a nightlife,” says the 32-year-old. “We’re lacking a bit of culture, but there are enough young people moving back after the flood that I’m sure it’ll be revived.”
Former Calgarian Hubert Aumeier understands the lure of his adopted home for the older set. “I’ve met people from Calgary, New Zealand and Scotland who have decided to retire in High River,” says the owner of the popular Evelyn’s Memory Lane Cafe. “You really have a much better lifestyle here.”
While they may have said goodbye to their working lives, High River’s seniors are no slouches when it comes to volunteering and advocacy. “They are not afraid to speak up,” says High River Mayor Craig Snodgrass, who has lived here his whole life. “And that’s great.”
Snodgrass says he tries his best to address their issues while balancing them with the concerns of the entire community.
“We make sure the new developments are family friendly, while things like walkability are extremely important,” he says, just as a local whizzes past on his electric scooter on the extrawide sidewalk. “I didn’t phone him and say, ‘Drive by now,’” he says with a laugh.
Snodgrass says he can see why retirees choose to live in a town near a major centre, one with much more affordable housing than that major centre but still close to family and the mountains.
“This is a great place to spend your life, whether it’s retirement or you’re 30 years old and want to start a new business,” says Snodgrass. “The same things that make it attractive for seniors make it attractive for all of us who live in High River.”