White Rock launches beach wheelchair pilot program
Published 11:00 am Monday, July 20, 2026
Nearly a decade after the first beach wheelchairs arrived in White Rock, residents and visitors with accessibility challenges can now access the city’s waterfront through a new program.
The City of White Rock officially launched its 2026 Beach Wheelchair Pilot Program Thursday (July 16) in partnership with Naakua Paddle Boards, offering free beach wheelchair rentals during regular business hours.
“The Beach Wheelchair Program creates new opportunities for people of all abilities to access and enjoy our iconic waterfront,” said White Rock mayor Megan Knight at the launch. “Together with our community partners, we are making White Rock a more inclusive and welcoming palace for everyone.”
The beach wheelchairs will be available through Naakua Paddle Boards, located at 14849 Marine Dr., and the City of White Rock says they can be rented free of charge for up to two hours.
This pilot program marks the return of a service that has been years in the making.
White Rock Coun. Susan Bains shared with Peace Arch News that, back in 2016, the Self Advocates of Semiahmoo (SAS) introduced beach-accessible wheelchairs to White Rock’s waterfront. She said that two of the chairs were later made available to the public through a business called Feral Boardsports on East Beach.
Feral Boardsports closed in 2019 and the wheelchairs went into storage while community members searched for a sustainable way to continue the program.
Bains said that over the following years, the initiative stalled due to questions surrounding staffing, funding, administration and logistics.
The effort gained renewed momentum last summer after Bains met a White Rock resident who uses a wheelchair while she was using her own beach wheelchair.
Bains shared in an Instagram post that the man was excited when he saw her wheelchair and asked if it was a rental and where he could get one to try.
“My heart sank when I had to tell him there was no rental program, even though beach wheelchairs were available in our community,” Bains recalled in her post.
Following that encounter, Bains publicly called for the program to return.
After being elected to council, she said restoring public access to beach wheelchairs became a priority.
That same resident she met in the summer of 2025 was in attendance at the July 16 launch, which Bains said made the occasion especially meaningful.
“Just one summer later, we were able to welcome him, and many others, to a program that allows people of all abilities to enjoy the beach, not just watch it from a distance.”
Bains said the program came together through a collaborative effort involving SAS, Naakua Paddle Boards, the city’s Accessibility Advisory Committee, Motion, city staff and White Rock council.
She credited Naakua owner Will for helping make the program a reality after the business opened on Marine Drive earlier this year.
“I joked at the opening today that, ‘Where there’s a Will, there’s a way,’ and it could not have been more fitting,” shared Bains.
The city has also added a WaterWheels beach wheelchair, which is said to allow users to access both the sand and the water. According to Bains, funding for the purchase came from an existing city surplus, resulting in no additional cost to taxpayers.
A city release also acknowledged SAS for donating two of three beach wheelchairs now available through the pilot program.
Bains explained that this initiative demonstrates what can be accomplished when community organizations, businesses and the city work together towards a common goal.
“This program is a powerful example of what can happen when a community comes together to ensure White Rock truly is for everyone.”
Learn more about Naakua Paddle Boards at naakua.com.