Calgary retirement home grants wish for 86-year-old senior

Calgary senior was able to get out to the Bow River to enjoy a family fishing trip this week.

An 86-year-old resident at a Calgary retirement home was given an opportunity to relive some of his fond fishing memories with his family this week.

Bill Hart was out on the banks of the Bow River with his daughter, son-in-law, a professional fishing guide and staff from Prominence Way Retirement Community.

Hart says the trip came out of an initiative put on by the community to grant the wishes of its residents.

“I had to think about it a little bit and I thought, ‘Well, one of the things I’d like to do is go fishing,’” he said.

• The information you need to know, sent directly to you: Download the CTV News App

The group took part in some spin fishing on the river, which is world-renowned among fishermen.

Mike Robertson of the Bow River Blog Guided Fishing Tours said it was a great day for fishing.

“It’s the perfect day. It’s the perfect place. It’s just something that I’m just very, very honoured to be a part of.”

Prominence Way says the goal of the initiative is to provide meaningful opportunities to their residents.

“We’ve been doing this since we’ve opened in 2019 and it’s an opportunity for us to grant experiences for our residents, big or small,” said Prominence Way’s Jenna Gorgas.

The community’s Living List program works with partners to grant up to five experiences a year for residents.