Neighbourhood
Born and raised in Calgary, Lyle has always called Calgary his first home. He now lives in Renfrew with his wife. He is a proud community member, currently retired and involved with more than twenty organizations as a volunteer.
Lyle lived in Calgary and Toronto until his early twenties, when he joined the Canadian Armed Forces as an artillery officer. For Lyle, joining the military was something he was genuinely interested in. He enjoyed the people and the sense of purpose. At that time, it felt like the right career move and was the right place to be.
Over the next several decades, he lived in nine provinces and two of Canada's territories and served across Canada and overseas in Europe. His postings included bases in Chilliwack, Gagetown NB, Petawawa, ON, Gagetown again, Valcartier, QC, Ottawa, ON, Shilo, MB, Brantford, ON, Calgary, AB, Halifax, NS, Gande NL, and Goose Bay, NL. He was also deployed overseas on NATO missions and on UN peacekeeping missions. The experiences were exceptional, and the friendships made along the way are ones he still holds close. But military life also meant constant movement. It meant accepting the risks that come with the profession. More than anything, it taught him the importance of the people around him. "You rely on each other," he says. "That's how the military works. You build strong friendships because sometimes people don't come back. It can be a dangerous job."
After Lyle retired from the Army, he worked for Emergency Management BC for 5 years. Of all the places he lived, British Columbia left the deepest impression.
BC taught Lyle how beautiful and scary nature can be at the same time. The fast-changing climate was also a powerful experience for him. While living in the Okanagan in BC, Lyle and his family faced many months of severe weather events like overland flooding and wildfires, which reached a few hundred metres from his home. These regular adverse experiences became the push they needed to come back to Alberta, home.
Back in Alberta, he and his wife settled first in Carstairs. They eventually found their way to Renfrew. They were drawn by its central location and its neighbourhood feel. It is close to everything yet tucked into a quiet corner of the city, close to hospitals, amenities, and services that they wished to be closer to as a retired couple. A month after returning to AB, Lyle suffered a major stroke. Recovery was long, but the community, his family, resiliency, and the amazing caregivers and health professionals held him through it. Today, he has recovered and now volunteers at the Dr. Vernon Fanning Neuro Centre on 16th Ave, just North of Renfrew, a few times per week, helping fellow stroke survivors. Giving back is the most personal way he knows how.
For Lyle, community has always mattered deeply. Having lived on bases, in towns, and across landscapes most Canadians will never see, he understands what makes a place feel like one. He says that everyone is going through something and may have had different circumstances in life, but they are no better or worse than you. Treating people with a bit of common respect and kindness, and generally, you will receive the same.
He has carried that belief across every community he has ever belonged to. In Renfrew, he loves taking walks, seeing familiar faces, and also volunteering in the community. After a lifetime spent serving in uniform and in the community, Lyle has come to believe that the most meaningful things are also the most ordinary. A neighbour who waves. A street you can walk. A place where people still look out for one another. If you see Lyle in the neighbourhood, say hi.
Thank you for taking the time to read our new series, Humans of Renfrew. Share your story, your neighbour's story, or the story of inspiring community members with Humans of Renfrew. Contact Titash Choudhury at titash.chodhury@gmail.com to nominate…...
Stay tuned for next month's issue!
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The Winston Heights Mountview Powerline Committee Update:
Gaga Ball Pitt
Gaga ball is a fast-paced dodgeball-like game played in an enclosed, often octagonal, pit, where players are eliminated if they are hit by a ball below the knees. The game involves dodging, striking, running, and jumping to be the last player standing in the pit. Players must hit the ball with an open hand and cannot throw or catch it, combining elements of sportsmanship and agility
Renfrew's Gaga Ball Pitt is located in Lawson's Park, 14th Ave NE at 5th St. NE
