Calgary park transformed into inclusive area for blind and visually impaired skateboarders
The skatepark at southwest Calgary's Shaw Millennium Park is looking a bit different on Saturday, but it's all to offer a unique opportunity for disabled residents.
Through the work of Alt Route Projects, a group of blind and visually impaired skateboarders, the area has been modified with neon-coloured tape, tactile pathways and audio beacons.
All of the equipment was installed to make the area more inclusive for riders who like to enjoy a "sesh" of shredding and grinding but couldn't on a normal course because of their disabilities.
"Skateboarding is such a fun way of getting outside and making friends," said Curtis Ruttle, the founder of Alt Route and a Grade 11 student at Bishop Carroll High School.
"Blind and visually impaired people can get in on the fun, but they need some changes in skatepark design to make skateboarding safer and more enjoyable."
Over the past two years, Ruttle has been working with Matt Janz, the founder of another group for visually impaired skateboarders called Skate Bats.
The pair hopes that with skateboarding added to the Olympics, the event will soon become available to Paralympians as well.
"We are hoping to lay down the base work for an adaptive skateboard team here in Canada," Janz said in a statement. "We're hoping to empower any blind or low-vision kids in Calgary to seek an exciting and inspiring career on a skateboard at the Paralympic level."
The additions to the skatepark were fully funded by the Calgary Parking Authority's sponsorship program.
CTVNews.ca Top Stories
Average hourly wage in Canada now $34.95: StatCan
Average hourly wages among Canadian employees rose to $34.95 on a year-over-year basis in April, a 4.7 per cent increase, according to a Statistics Canada report released Friday morning.
Magnitude 4.2 earthquake reported off Vancouver Island's west coast
A 4.2-magnitude earthquake was recorded west of Vancouver Island early Friday morning.
This iconic Canadian song is turning 50
Andy Kim's 'Rock Me Gently' is marking a major milestone, as it celebrates its 50th anniversary.
From outer space? Sask. farmers baffled after discovering strange wreckage in field
A family of fifth generation farmers from Ituna, Sask. are trying to find answers after discovering several strange objects lying on their land.
Her SUV was stolen in Montreal. A Good Samaritan on Facebook helped her get it back
Just as she had feared, a restaurant owner from eastern Quebec who visited Montreal had her SUV stolen, but says it was all thanks to the kindness of strangers on the internet — not the police — that she got it back.
Oprah Winfrey: I set an unrealistic standard for dieting
Oprah Winfrey said on Thursday evening that she has long played a role in promoting unhealthy and unrealistic diets.
Ontario family receives massive hospital bill as part of LTC law, refuses to pay
A southwestern Ontario woman has received an $8,400 bill from a hospital in Windsor, Ont., after she refused to put her mother in a nursing home she hated -- and she says she has no intention of paying it.
Toronto police called to Drake's Bridle Path mansion for another alleged intruder on Thursday
Toronto police say a man who allegedly attempted to access Drake’s Bridle Path property was taken to hospital on Thursday after an altercation with security guards.
Flat tire on a highway? Here's why you shouldn't try to fix it
If you're cruising down a highway and realize you have a flat tire, you may want to think twice before stopping to fix it on the side of the road.