The pathway is finally free of snow and the sun is warm on Srdjan’s skin. It’s been a long, dark winter and while he used to love winter on the alpine ski hills, since being diagnosed with ALS, winter brings a hiatus from the thing that brings him the greatest joy now… cruising his Calgary neighbourhood of Bridgeland made possible by the electric wheelchair the ALS Society provided. It’s the pathways by the river and the dog park on the hill that draw him the most. The dogs provide endless entertainment as they run after each other in an endless game of tag, bringing a smile to his face. The Bow River glistens like shimmering diamonds in the sunlight, soothing his spirit. Newly emerging brilliant green leaves dance in the breeze, letting him forget he’s in a wheelchair, if just for a moment.
A cloud moves in to block the sun’s rays and Srdjan feels it instantly. It’s still +15° C, but he asks his wife Vesna to put on his gloves. His lack of mobility reduces his circulation, making his whole body cold. His hands will no longer allow him to do anything to protect himself from the fickle spring weather. He can barely operate the joystick that keeps him moving forward. But nothing is going to prevent him from seizing every moment he can outdoors. When mother nature cooperates, he’s outside every single day. The comfortable, but tiny apartment where he and Vesna live sometimes feels like a prison and spring feels like parole.
The pathways are amazing around Bridgeland, but if you ask Srdjan they could do a lot better with making everything a little smoother and the ramps off the sidewalks a little less steep. Accessibility is not always obvious to those not in a wheelchair and even the smallest of drops is jarring. A few times he’s ended up high centred because the middle wheels that drive his power chair come off the ground when the ramp is too steep. It’s taken a herculean effort on the part of Vesna, his caregiver, and sometimes a passerby to get him moving again. Wise to the local pitfalls, he plans his route accordingly. But this is a pet peeve of his. Now he is on a mission and takes it upon himself to report the issues to the City of Calgary. Through his efforts he hopes that the city will make it possible for all wheelchair users to access his wonderful neighbourhood.