Throughout his life, Rick Hansen has been passionate about healthy ecosystems and has experienced first-hand the power of outdoor spaces to transform wellbeing. Unfortunately, too many of our natural spaces are inaccessible to people with disabilities, resulting in inequities and exclusion.
Thanks to generous support from the Peterson Family Foundation, RHF is working with local non-profits to remove barriers to accessibility in the outdoors for people with disabilities through the RHF Accessible Outdoors Program.
When people with disabilities can access the natural environment, it leads to a more inclusive and healthier world for everyone, everywhere.
Program Pillars
Everyone in Nature - seeking to enable people with disabilities to access natural environments.
Difference Makers - engaging an expanding network of inclusion-focused individuals and organizations to remove barriers in their respective organizations and communities.
Knowledge Generation - obtaining knowledge, both lived experience and academic, that will be used to inform future programming.
Our First Initiative: On the Water
The RHF Accessible Outdoors Program is beginning with a unique custom accessible vessel and will engage leaders and individuals with and without disabilities in accessible boating experiences.
These accessible boating experiences will:
- increase awareness and knowledge of barriers in the natural environment,
- inspire change, and
- directly enable people with disabilities to access our marine environment.
Through a partnership with Power To Be and RHF, individuals with disabilities will have an opportunity to participate in accessible boating experiences. Members of the public interested in an accessible boating experience can find out more information by visiting https://powertobe.ca/.
A Case Study for Accessibility
The vessel & marina have innovative and unique accessibility features including:
- ramps
- wider doors and windows,
- scissor lifts,
- speech to text technology,
- high contrast focal points,
- specialized headsets,
- adaptive fishing rods and
- an accessible washroom!
This unique accessible vessel is just the beginning. Together, we can ensure outdoor spaces are accessible and inclusive for everyone!
Join the movement by making a donation or learn more about the program by emailing us at accessibleoutdoors@rickhansen.com.