OTTAWA -- A curb-side workout for her father confined to his room at a retirement home in Orleans has other residents joining in, brightening their spirits and keeping them motivated during the global COVID-19 pandemic.

Martine Menard’s father Ken is turning 84. Along the fence outside the Promenade Retirement Residence in Orleans, she ties balloons, flowers and a large banner that says “BONNE FETE PAPA”.

Menard cannot go in to see her dad because the home is on lock-down. This is a special day, for her and her father, but aside from the balloons, it’s a regular day.

In front of the birthday banner, Menard is setting up for her daily exercise class.  She has some small weights, a rubber band and two cell phones. As she prepares for class, people move to their apartment windows, looking down and waving.

Menard makes a call and gets conferenced in to her father and another resident. Her sidewalk exercise outside the Promenade retirement residence in Orleans is about to begin.  

“When dad started being isolated in his room he couldn’t go to the gym or work his puzzles, so I figured I’d come out here and help him get motivated,” says Menard.

“For us at home we can go in and out, we have a backyard, we can do crafts, we can cook, there’s other stuff we can do, for them it’s limited.”

So to keep her father motivated, she planned a workout routine that lasts about 30 minutes. Menard starts with stretches, then moves on to squats, weights, rubber bands, all while her father Ken watches from his fourth-floor apartment window.

He has a smile on his face, and he’s doing it, listening on his phone as his daughter directs the workout class. Her father was happy with the daily dose of physical activity and spread the word, others started peering out their window, joining in on the daily workout.

“The residents are the real heroes” said Menard. “We need to do something to brighten up their day and keep them motivated and active and full of hope, that’s what we do up here.”

Hope is important. The Promenade retirement residences in Orleans has had three deaths linked to COVID-19. Menard is nervous, but knows her dad, along with the other residents, are getting the best possible care and she thanks the staff for that.

“It’s hard for everybody, it’s hard for the families and it’s hard for the people inside,” says Menard. “Because you don’t know what’s happening but he has very good care and I brought him here because I thought Promenade was the best place and I still believe that.”

As the workout comes to an end, Menard laughs, not sure if  the exercises are what her father, or others had in mind, but she does know they enjoy the line dancing.

Martine pulls out the second phone and starts playing music. She looks over with a smile on her face, it’s their favourite part she says.

The center was supposed to host line-dancing classes in March, but had to shutter all activities as the pandemic worsened. Menard found a YouTube video and taught herself how to do it. As she stands on the sidewalk, “Better I Don’t” by Chris Janson blares on her phone. Looking up at the windows of the complex she can see her dad following along to her two-step and spins.

“Very, very, very special, yes I’m happy with everything she does,” says father Ken Menard. “Thank you very much for the good work.  Then when we can go back down so we will continue to work.”

Word has begin to spread and Menard plans on bringing a small P.A. system that will allow more residents to hear the routine and music. She plans to continue daily visits and workout for the residents rain or shine.