Trochu's Outreach is Attractive

Trochu Senior Centre

The Senior Drop-in Centre catches our attention as we pull into the community of Trochu, Alberta.

We stop the bus along Poplar Avenue and walk over. The posting on their bulletin board tells of a pancake breakfast the next morning to commemorate Seniors’ Week. Frank and I smile at the notice and then at each other. It would be exciting to have someone else cook a meal for us.

We stroll around the town seeking out interesting attractions. We come across a wonderful selection of murals depicting the progressive community, in the past and now. Monsieur Armand Trochu sitting proud on his steed is painted on the side of a building. A depiction of the General Store in 1907 also attracts attention. To our great pleasure, we would meet the mural artist, Eldon Walls, the next morning at breakfast.

Monsieur Armand Trochu

General Store 1907

After a full-filling feast of flapjacks, sausages, coffee, and brilliant conversations with the local seniors and their friends, we are directed to The Arboretum and Gardens. The variety of trees, flowering bushes and fragrant plants calm us to nearly a melting point. What better than to ramble through a living museum of horticultural wonder. The crunch of the red shale does not interfere with the constant whistle and shrill of birds.

Trochu Arboretum & Gardens

Susan admiring the trees and gardens

Our walk that evening takes us to the swimming pool and afterward to the Peking Café. Wen and her husband Michael share their story of coming to Canada and settling in Trochu to open up their own restaurant.

“Eighteen years we’ve been here,” Wen says. “We are happy in this town and we now have another Chinese lady living just behind our place. We are friends.”

This morning, we discover that our solar panels are not operating properly. What incredible luck that Wade is the owner and operator of a newly opened store called Conscious Choice – solar panel specialist. This kind man offers to help install a new unit if Frank drives to Red Deer to pick it up. Our 10-year warranty on the flexible model is being used in only two years of operation. After the delivery, Frank and Wade climb to the top of the bus, remove the inoperable panel and glue down the new one. What a wonderful piece of charm already set up for us by the attractive folks of this entrepreneurial town.

proverb ~ Beauty cannot be judged objectively, for what one person finds beautiful or admirable may not appeal to another.