New wheels, new connections for UFV Trishaw Rides 

Marilyn Hornell and Dianna Stubling are rock stars. 

On an overcast Monday morning, they are cruising up and down the Rotary Trail, seated snugly in the University of the Fraser Valley’s brand-new trishaw. They’re waving like princesses, saying hello to everyone they meet, laughing and smiling, and even chatting up some fellas. 

Both women are in their 80s, and both embody the phrase “young at heart.” 

The new trishaw recently arrived from Copenhagen, Denmark. It will significantly ease the workload for the original trishaw that helped launch the program in 2022, allowing seniors to continue enjoying the outdoors and socializing along the Rotary Trail at UFV’s picturesque Chilliwack campus. 

“We just love it,” Marilyn says with a grin. “We love to put smiles on people’s faces, and we enjoy it probably way more than they do, because we’re getting the free ride.” 

This morning’s driver is Reed Plowright-Wills, a fourth-year kinesiology student. There’s a constant back-and-forth between Reed and his loquacious passengers as he pedals them along, enjoying the smooth ride of the new trishaw. But most of all, Reed enjoys the company and conversation. 

“These are not patients, these are people that I’m happy to spend time with on the river,” he says. “Sometimes they have reduced mobility, and it’s hard for them to get outside. I know someday I’m going to be like that, and I just hope when I’m older and I can’t just go for a walk along the river, there’s somebody like me who can take me for a little ride like this and get me back outside.” 

Peyton Arnold, a nursing student, agrees. His studies and work have brought him into contact with many older adults, growing his appreciation for the connections that can form across generations. 

“It’s such an intimate moment that you get to share with someone,” he says, glancing at Marilyn and Dianna. “Joy wells up inside me because they’re joyful. They exude happiness and excitement, and isn’t that what we strive for as humans — experiences, community and relationships?” 

The trishaw purchase was made possible by funding from Sienna for Seniors Foundation, and the Chilliwack Foundation, with support from Devon Bailey from UFV’s Relationship and Fund Development team, which helped secure the grants needed to purchase it. 

“Community investment has been key to keeping Trishaw Rides free and accessible to participants,” Devon says. “This funding gives the program a more accessible, reliable and comfortable way to connect older adults with students, the outdoors and their community.” 

>>> See more trishaw photos here <<<

Dr. Shelley Canning and Alison Pritchard Orr, who lead Trishaw Rides, say community support has allowed the program to grow substantially over the past four years. Rides have always been free for participants, thanks to student volunteers who serve as pilots, along with grants and community partnerships that help keep the wheels turning. 

The new trishaw brings a host of upgrades, including headlights, a rain canopy and pedal assist — a particularly welcome addition for the pilots. It’s well suited to the gravel surface on the Rotary Trail, with a stable three-wheel frame, electric-assist motor, integrated canopy, enhanced braking system, and passenger seating designed for comfort and accessibility. With an expected lifespan of 10-plus years, it will support thousands of rides over its lifetime. 

“The wonderful thing about this bike is it’s basically been designed from the ground up for programs like ours,” Reed says. “It’s made to be super accessible for our passengers and easy to pedal for our drivers.” 

UFV Trishaw Rides is part of the global Cycling Without Age movement, a nonprofit initiative founded in Denmark in 2012 that now operates in more than 50 countries. 

The new trishaw arrives at a great time for the program, which has been steadily expanding over the last four years. The program serves approximately 125–150 riders each season, including individuals living independently, residents of assisted living communities, and older adults experiencing cognitive decline.  

Alison, an associate professor of kinesiology, says they’re increasingly partnering with organizations such as the Alzheimer Society of B.C. 

“I think the new trishaw increases our opportunities — more opportunity for students to connect and be pilots, more opportunity for community members to come,” she says. 

Shelley, a professor of nursing and director of UFV’s Centre for Education and Research on Aging (CERA), has seen the impact of those connections firsthand.  

She recalls a student pilot who formed a close relationship with a couple who regularly came for rides. The wife was living with advanced dementia and was no longer able to communicate verbally. Her mobility had also declined, and Shelley says her world had become increasingly small. 

The woman was nervous on her first trishaw ride but kept coming back. On one section of the trail, the pilot would pick up speed going down a small hill and tell his passengers to get ready for the “rollercoaster.” 

Over time, something changed. 

“She started throwing her arms in the air and yelling,” Shelley says. “Her husband was just so emotional.” 

The woman has since passed away, but Shelley says the rides gave her husband one of his last memories of his wife fully engaging with something and experiencing that kind of joy. 

“It was a glimpse of her former self,” Alison adds. 

For Shelley and Alison, that story reinforces something their research has shown since the program began: the benefits of Trishaw Rides travel in both directions. 

“At the heart of any good intergenerational program is reciprocity, where both generations benefit equally,” Shelley says. 

Some student pilots have discovered an unexpected interest in working with older adults, while passengers have shared their experiences, offered advice and provided a willing ear when students talk about the stresses of university life. 

Marilyn and Dianna have become enthusiastic ambassadors for the program, encouraging friends and anyone else who will listen to give Trishaw Rides a try. 

“What have they got to lose, really?” Dianna asks. “Give up an hour of their time. What do they have to gain? So much.” 

Then Marilyn and Dianna are off again — waving, laughing and looking for someone else to make smile. 

For more information or to book a ride, visit https://www.ufv.ca/aging/ufv-trishaw-rides/.