At the annual Cook County Nature is Accessible! event, county officials announced the availability of new all-terrain wheelchairs designed to improve accessibility to forest preserve spaces.
Cook County Board and Forest Preserves of Cook County President Toni Preckwinkle and Forest Preserves Interim General Superintendent Eileen Figel, local elected officials and community partners made the announcement Wednesday, May 21, at the Little Red Schoolhouse Nature Center.
The 13 all-terrain wheelchairs will be stationed across the county, with one at each of the forest preserves’ six nature centers, as well as camps Sullivan, Reinberg and Bullfrog Lake.
The chairs are equipped with arm-powered levers for propulsion and braking, mountain bike tires and a third wheel for enhanced stability. They are designed for improved traction on all types of surfaces.
Requests for use are on a first-come, first served basis and require an ID or other collateral to be left with staff. Visitors can enjoy use of the wheelchairs on site or on nearby trails. Several chairs will also be available during special events and programs hosted throughout the county, and they may now also be part of the Forest Preserves’ accommodation request process.
“Our 70,000 acres of natural lands are a shared resource that belongs to all of us, and it should be accessible to everyone. The all-terrain wheelchairs are transformative tools for visitors who need safe, adaptive equipment to explore the Forest Preserves — whether they’re birding, spotting wildflowers or simply enjoying the company of friends and family,” Preckwinkle said.
The new initiative is the latest in efforts by the Forest Preserves to help individuals with disabilities access and enjoy the Preserves. The district has done a site-by-site evaluation of its nearly 300 picnic groves, 40 waterbodies for fishing, cabins and tent campsites at five campgrounds, boat launches and hundreds of restrooms.
On the Forest Preserves’ accessibility website page, visitors can find the locations that meet specific accessibility criteria, including details like the exact distance between a picnic shelter and the accessible restroom at the site.
“If you are someone with a disability who wants to go out on a trail, camping, fishing or kayaking — or simply enjoys being out in nature — the Forest Preserves of Cook County wants to be a resource for you,” Figel said.
The focus on improving the experience for people with disabilities across the Preserves includes designing amenities like canoe and kayak launches with accessibility in mind, adding accessible features to existing facilities like parking lots and picnic shelters during capital improvements or maintenance, and partnering with special recreation organizations to host events dedicated to serving people with disabilities.
The work is informed by the Forest Preserves’ ADA Advisory Committee. Formed in October 2018, the committee consists of representatives from special recreation associations, advocates for people with disabilities, individuals with disabilities and other experts.
“Everyday mobility devices like wheelchairs, mobility scooters, walkers, canes and crutches are typically not designed for use on hiking trails, grassy and muddy areas, or rough and uneven surfaces. The all-terrain wheelchairs provided at the Forest Preserves of Cook County are truly a game changer for people with disabilities to help them get out and explore nature with their family and friends,” said Bill Bogdan, member of the Forest Preserves’ ADA Advisory Board, and disability liaison to the Illinois Secretary of State. “Using these all-terrain wheelchairs will allow me go to places that I wouldn’t be able to get to with my personal wheelchair.”
Funding for the all-terrain wheelchairs was provided in part by the Illinois Department of Commerce and Economic Opportunity. Also speaking at the celebration were Cook County commissioners Alma Anaya, Bridget Degnen and Kisha McCaskill, and Little Red Schoolhouse Nature Center Director George Klut.
