Making N.L.'s outdoors more accessible, one trail at a time

Outdoor spaces can be some of the best parts of a community. But Newfoundlander Kim White says when she was growing up with a disability, the outdoors never felt like home.

"I grew up in rural Newfoundland," said White. "I was literally, like, 20 feet from the beach and I was never in there. So I never felt welcome, I never felt like it was a place I could experience."

But that feeling began to change when White started working with Memorial University professor TA Loefflerand testing adaptive equipment like the GritFreedom Chair. It's an all-terrain wheelchair that can be self-propelled, ideal for hiking trails and all sorts of outdoor spaces. Suddenlyaworld that had been off limits to White seemed wide open.

"When I'm out in nature, I feel joyful and happy and excited, and want to get out again."

How parks are becoming more accessible

2 years ago

Duration 6:23

The GRIT Freedom Chair helps people in wheelchairs explore the outdoors. CBCs Zach Goudie finds out how people in Newfoundland and Labrador are taking the chair, and themselves, in new directions.

The CBC's Zach Goudie tagged along with White and Loeffler to see the Grit chair in action, and learn how the two women were making adaptive equipment available in more outdoor places. Watch their story above, and for more stories like this from across the country, check out This Week In Canada on ournew streaming channel, CBC Explore.

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