Canton Park Expands Skateboarding Space For People With Disabilities

CANTON, CT — A new adaptive skateboarding space at Mills Pond Park in Canton is giving children and adults with disabilities an opportunity to learn skateboarding skills in an accessible environment.

Summit Adaptive Sports, out of New Hartford, a nonprofit organization that provides recreational opportunities for people with physical and cognitive disabilities, launched the skateboarding program this fall with funding from a Canton Community Health Fund Community Partner Grant.

The organization said the project had been 12 years in the making and is believed to be the first adaptive skateboarding space in Connecticut.

The new facility expands the organization's existing recreational programs, which include adaptive snow sports, kayaking, cycling and hiking.

Summit Adaptive Sports has provided recreational programming for people with disabilities for 18 years.

Its mission is to encourage healthy lifestyles through outdoor recreation while helping participants build confidence, develop skills, and connect with others.

Expanding Access To Recreation

Summit Adaptive Sports serves children, adults and veterans with a range of disabilities, including spinal cord injuries, neurological conditions, mobility impairments and cognitive or developmental disabilities.

The organization works with health care providers, rehabilitation centers, schools and community organizations to connect people with its programs.

According to the organization, its adaptive activities are designed to accommodate participants with varying experience levels and physical abilities.

Specialized equipment and trained instructors help participants safely engage in activities that might otherwise be difficult to access.

Scholarships are also available to reduce financial barriers.

The organization said its programs are intended to improve physical and mental health, build confidence, and create opportunities for families to participate in outdoor activities together.

Summit Adaptive Sports staff members, coaches and volunteers receive ongoing training in adaptive techniques and disability awareness.

The organization also incorporates instructors and volunteers with disabilities, drawing on their firsthand experiences to improve its programs.

Plans For Student Volunteers

Summit Adaptive Sports hopes to expand community involvement by recruiting local high school students to serve as volunteers and mentors.

The organization said involving students could help build relationships between young people and participants with disabilities while encouraging greater awareness of adaptive recreation.

The Canton Community Health Fund, which helped finance the skateboarding project, supports local organizations and programs that promote community health and well-being.

Residents interested in supporting the fund and its community partners can make donations by mail to: Canton Community Health Fund, P.O. Box 75, Collinsville, CT 06022. Online contributions can also be made through the organization's website at www.cantoncommunityhealthfund.org.