TROY, Ala. (TROJANVISION) — Troy University’s Arboretum prides itself on welcoming members of TROY’s campus and community to explore and appreciate nature. After a recent grant, the arboretum is accessible to even more people.
The arboretum features 75 acres of land that’s open to the public. The problem? None of the trails are paved, which makes navigating the terrain a problem for people who use wheelchairs.
“Going on terrain where it’s not just flat and smooth, it’s definitely difficult,” said TROY graduate Jonah McWaters. McWaters was paralyzed after a car accident in January 2004. Today, he continues to live an active lifestyle.
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After learning that paving the trails wasn’t an option, arboretum director Dr. Alvin Diamond started looking for other options.
“If we can’t get a paved trail, what can we do to our trails to make them accessible?”
That’s where the Hank Poore Foundation (HPF) stepped in.
“The Hank Poore Foundation gives individuals opportunities like providing an off-road wheelchair,” said HPF Director Hank Poore. “They submitted a grant to get a freedom chair, which will allow their students to enjoy nature who require the wheelchair to do so.”
The GRIT Freedom Chair is a mix between a manual wheelchair and a mountain bike, giving users better balance when dealing with uneven terrain.
“In my normal manual chair the front wheels are small and so if you’re on any kind of rugged terrain, it’s definitely a fall risk and just flipping out,” McWaters explained. “This has a big front wheel, it’s got outdoor tires and you’re able to get around any kind of terrain you would want a lot easier than it would be in a manual chair.
The Freedom Chair also gives users exactly that: freedom, which is at the heart of the Hank Poore Foundation.
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“I personally have had opportunities to do this stuff, but a lot of individuals may not have the same opportunities as me,” Poore told TrojanVision. “This is a way to give back to the community and allows the individuals to have the same opportunities as me.”
“Everyone wants to be thought of,” McWaters said. “I did all this stuff beforehand and now it just provides an opportunity to get back out and do it again. It’s awesome.”
The chair will remain inside the arboretum. Guests do not have to pay to use it.
