After Ron Harris retired, he would walk his dog every morning and watch people playing pickleball. But it took him two years to find the courage to play the game. Harris has lived in Farmington for 10 years but at age 65 he’s challenging himself to try new things.

Now, not only does he play pickleball, but he participates in a hiking club, Tai Chi, Silver Sneakers and even Zumba, all thanks to Farmington City’s Active Aging program.

“It was definitely intimidating,” he said. “I'm still intimidated when I go to Zumba because I can’t dance, but I try.”

He’s not alone. Since Farmington introduced the Active Aging classes in May, interest has grown. Designed for seniors 60 years and older, classes can be modified to fit each person’s age, fitness and mobility level. In fact, Harris’s 90-year-old mother is a regular at the Tai Chi class.

Active Aging Manager Breklyn Choate said the program has been in the works for years and hundreds of seniors have taken advantage of the variety of classes offered. 

“We have such an awesome senior population and such an interest from our seniors to stay active,” she said. “There are so many trails and pickleball and so [many things to do], but up until this point, we didn't have anything that was specifically for those seniors.”

Medicare and several other insurance companies will cover the cost of classes, making the program even more accessible. On Tuesday, participants can do fly tying or line dancing. Wednesday’s classes are Silver Sneakers and Zumba Gold. The popular Tai Chi is available every Thursday and the hiking and walking clubs meet every-other Thursday. 

Classes are held at the Farmington Gymnasium (294 S. 650 West) and the Farmington Community Arts Center (120 S. Main Street). Renew Active and Silver and Fit members can attend classes for free, or Farmington residents can attend for $1.50, with non-residents paying $2.50 per class. For a complete schedule, visit Farmington.utah.gov/parks-rec/senior-programs.

Harris enjoys exploring the city’s trails with the hiking club. Farmington City Arts and Special Events Coordinator Tia Trevino leads the hikes, sharing a wealth of information about the area. She also makes sure everyone stretches before and after the hike.

“For me, it’s been keeping the body and mind moving,” Harris said. “The people who lead the different activities, they’re all just wonderful. They’re very good people and very friendly, and so are the people that participate. It’s a great place to be. I really enjoy it.”

Choate has been pleasantly surprised by the popularity of the program and is hoping to add new classes, based on feedback from attendees. She said the city decided these programs could be a way to show appreciation for the senior population in Farmington. 

“The seniors are who built the city to be the way it is now, so we can have those awesome programs,” Choate said. “It was more of a thank you to that generation. We wanted to give something back to them and give them their own activities and offer senior-specific classes.”