B.C. senior creates 'Tiki Garage' to provide vacation from isolation
Before he decided to embark outside with a wine glass and folding chair, Gary Mitchell was feeling out of sorts.
"Everybody was in a mask. Nobody would talk," the Saanich, B.C., man recalls. "You didn’t want to get close to other people."
Along with enduring the pandemic, Mitchell was also mourning the loss of his wife of 55 years.
"I was maybe a bit lonely."
So, Mitchell attempted to do something about it. He set up his folding chairs safely beside his driveway, had a sip from his glass, and started engaging with the world again.
"I talked to people as they went by," Mitchell smiles. "And soon it developed."
Mitchell's salutations inspired his neighbours to join him along the street for physically-distanced soirées, which proved to be a salve for so much isolation.
"It was just this connection we could have," says Barbara Clee, who lives a few houses away. "We could enjoy ourselves."
But despite the camaraderie, it could be cold on the street. So, Clee offered to start hosting the gatherings in her garage.
"In the beginning everybody was looking at what’s in the garage, a lot of junk and stuff," Clee says. "I thought I want to [spruce it] up it a bit."
So, Clee started playing a sunny soundtrack of Hawaiian music on her CD player.
"It was just to take you away from reality," she smiles, before showing me how she started transforming her garage.
HOME IMPROVEMENTS
Every week she would add something new, from floor to ceiling pictures of sandy beaches and palm trees, to bold flowers and bright parrots. Then there were the countless leis and a ukulele, and even sunscreen, shades, and a snorkel.
"I wanted it to be a happy-go-lucky place," Clee smiles. "To come and enjoy a few laughs!"
Every Friday afternoon, Clee would invite her neighbours over for a sunny sojourn.
"We could plan to be on a trip," Mitchell smiles. "We didn’t have to be far from our own home."
While the pandemic appears to be subsiding, and travel restrictions are lifting, trips just down the street to Clee's are only increasing.
"I feels like Hawaii! It feels good," Mitchell smiles. "We’ve all got to know each other even better."
Although it was designed as a vacation from isolation, Barbara’s Tiki Garage has become a venue for connection, a place were neighbours have become friends.
"We’ve all created such a bond between us," Clee smiles, "We’re like family now and it’s very nice."
CTVNews.ca Top Stories
Police arrest 3 Indian nationals in killing of B.C. Sikh activist Hardeep Singh Nijjar
Three people have been arrested and charged in the killing of B.C. Sikh activist Hardeep Singh Nijjar – as authorities continue investigating potential connections to the Indian government.
TD worst-case scenario more likely after drug money laundering allegations: analyst
TD Bank Group could be hit with more severe penalties than previously expected, says a banking analyst after a report that the investigation it faces in the U.S. is tied to laundering illicit fentanyl profits.
Human remains found in rural Sask. possibly a decade old, RCMP say
RCMP say human remains found in a rural area in central Saskatchewan may have been there for a decade or more.
Police officer hit by driver of fleeing vehicle in Toronto
York Regional Police say they are continuing to search for a suspect in an auto theft investigation who was captured on video running over a police officer in Toronto last month.
Five areas Canada's foreign interference commissioner says needs more investigation
Commissioner Marie-Josee Hogue released her interim report examining foreign election interference on Friday. Here are five elements of the issue that Hogue says she needs to further probe before she can make conclusions or recommendations.
Drew Carey is never quitting 'The Price Is Right'
Drew Carey took over as host of 'The Price Is Right' and hopes he’s there for life. 'I'm not going anywhere,' he told 'Entertainment Tonight' of the job he took over from longtime host Bob Barker in 2007.
Why your airfare may be getting more expensive
Skyrocketing airfare prices are linked to heightened competition and rising food and fuel, according to the CAA.
Canadian doctor concerned new weight-loss drug Wegovy may be used inappropriately
As Wegovy becomes available to Canadians starting Monday, a medical expert is cautioning patients wanting to use the drug to lose weight that no medication is a ''magic bullet,' and the new medication is meant particularly for people who meet certain criteria related to obesity and weight.
2 charged after police find 'concerning and diverse' explosives at Manitoba home
Winnipeg police say they have arrested two people in their 20s after a large amount of explosives were found in a home outside of Winnipeg, Man.