From biking, kayaking and playing basketball, there are lots of fun things to do at the Metroparks, and they want to make sure everyone can participate.
“We want to make sure that people can not only access but utilize all features of the Metroparks,” explains Katie Kowalski, the Volunteer Recreation Supervisor at the Huron Clinton Metroparks.
It’s called adaptive recreation, and it allows people like Myreo Dixon to utilize the parks just like everyone else.
“I love to come play some basketball,” says Myreo. “and just sightseeing you know, just relax, picnic.”
Myreo became paralyzed from the waist down at just 18 years old.
“It was really tough to come to grips of this is my life now, and I didn’t know how I was going to be able to work or anything like that.
Luckily he had a good mentor, who took Myreo under his wing and convinced him to try wheelchair basketball. While Myreo at first resisted, playing the sport and working with his mentor really opened up his mind to what he could do.
“It’s more than just recreation, it’s more about just the mental, getting people back through social activity,” says Myreo.
So now he works with organizations like Michigan Adaptive Recreation Coalition and Rim Sportability to spread that message and help groups like the Huron-Clinton Metroparks to design things to be accessible to all. The Metroparks also have a variety of adaptive sports equipment including hand cycles, adaptive paddles for kayaking, sit cross-country skiis, and more.
If you are wondering how to use these devices, the Metroparks have you covered there as well. They host a variety of clinics, like their Adaptive Paddle Clinic where people can learn how to use the equipment from a Certified Recreation Therapist.
One way to try all these things out is to attend their DiversAbility Day. The event is similar to a field day in that there are a lot of different sports and activities around everyone can participate in. The Certified Recreation Therapists will be there to help people use the various pieces of equipment and people can just hang out and be social.
For more information on their DiversAbility Day or any of their clinics, click here to visit the Metroparks’ website.