Stephen Hartley has been in a wheelchair for more than a decade after he was diagnosed with multiple sclerosis. But his chair got a special makeover for a one-of-kind event — a Wheelchair Rally.
“First one I’ve ever been in. Great idea. Gets people in the chairs out in the community,” said Hartley.
Another wheelchair user, Ted Callan, said he doesn’t let his mobility issues define him and feels events, like this one, could help others in wheelchairs get back into the groove of enjoying the outdoors.
“Some people, not myself, they feel trapped. I can stand. I can hop around. But there are some people who can’t get out of the chair,” said Callan.
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That’s why the Friends of Kingston Inner Harbour, in partnership with Easter Seals Ontario and the Kingston Community Health Centres, hosted the event. It is a way to celebrate wheels while promoting the long-awaited opening of the K&P Trail.
The paved portion of the K&P Trail starts at Doug Fluhrer Park and stretches north for 6.4 kilometres. It then meets up with the gravel trail and continues for another 15 kilometres.
The extension offers a significant and much-needed upgrade, according to park and trail users.
“It was a little bit sketchy down here. What was the trail was pretty miserable. You couldn’t really ride your bike. There were bumps and holes. It was a bit rough,” admits Mary Farrar, with the Friends of Kingston Inner Harbour.
But that’s not the case anymore. The urban trail is not only a safer place for cyclists and pedestrians — but the area has also been spruced up with more trees.
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As for Hartley, it was his first time using the new trail — and he says it’s a smooth ride all the way through.
“It’s usable. It’s attractive. It’s no longer an eyesore,” said Hartley.
He said though it was his first time on the trail and it will not be his last.
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