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The shopping bus route includes Lansdowne Mall and Walmart.
Photo courtesy Paul Liu
Shopping bus helps local seniors
Published 11:42 PDT, Thu April 14, 2022
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Accessing local services can be a challenge without a personal vehicle.
But a bus service run by the Minoru Centre for Active Living offers youth, seniors, and people with disabilities affordable transportation to community programs, services, and special events.
The Community Leisure Transportation Service offers access to local shopping for a $2 cash-only fare, with pickups and drop-offs at nine different independent senior housing locations. Scheduled stops include Seafair Centre, the Minoru Centre for Active Living, Lansdowne Mall, and Walmart.
“The service allows seniors to have an affordable door-to-door service to purchase fresh produce, attend appointments, or visit the bank,” says Paul Liu, community leisure transportation coordinator for the Minoru Center for Active Living. “It also promotes active and healthy aging while decreasing social isolation and loneliness for seniors by providing opportunities to socialize at a coffee shop or attend programs at the Seniors Centre at Minoru.”
The shopping bus program has been made a safe service during the COVID-19 pandemic by increasing the frequency of trips to facilitate physical distancing. Masks are mandatory onboard.
“In fall 2021, service doubled from one round trip ride on Tuesdays and Thursdays to two round trips on each service day to give passengers more room to ride,” says Liu. “We have also increased cleaning efforts—buses are cleaned and disinfected at least once per day, in addition to our regular cleaning schedule.”
The bus schedule can be found online (minorucentre.ca/seniors-services/out-trips/) and on-request bookings can be made at least 24 hours in advance.
Riders can register for the program online at www.richmond.ca/register or by calling the registration call centre at 604-276-4300.
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