The Pittsburgh Parks Conservancy has plenty to celebrate this year: The organization has reached its 30th anniversary, and is also marking 10 years of the Frick Environmental Center and 20 years of Schenley Plaza.<\/p>\n
Among the new resources that families will discover at the Parks Conservancy\u2019s free Decade of Discovery event at the Frick Environmental Center on April 18 is the Trackchair program<\/a>, which was created to expand outdoor access for people with mobility challenges.<\/p>\n Trackchairs are battery-powered, all-terrain wheelchairs that can explore off-road terrains like park trails that were previously impossible to navigate for people with limited mobility.<\/p>\n The Frick Environmental Center currently has four Trackchairs: Two are ST 24\u2019s<\/a> (a larger, wider Trackchair built for lateral stability with a weight limit of 300 pounds) and two are Axis 30\u2019s<\/a> (a narrower model, with built-in vibration dampeners to improve the ride quality, with a weight limit of 350 pounds).<\/p>\n These are free to borrow for youth (ages 5+) and adults with limited mobility, as long as users fit safely in the Trackchairs. Users do need to be accompanied\u202fby a friend, family member or support person who can join for the entire outing and assist with transfers, if needed. And users under 18 must be accompanied by a parent or legal guardian.<\/p>\n If you or a member of your family would like to use one, reservations will open April 16 (we\u2019ll add the link here once it\u2019s available) for outings between May 1 and June 7. If all available dates are booked, you\u2019ll be able to join the Parks Conservancy\u2019s waitlist (we\u2019ll also add that link here one it\u2019s available).<\/p>\n Additional dates for June and July will be available for booking in late May, with more added on a rolling basis.<\/p>\n You\u2019ll also have support on your first outing: A trained Pittsburgh Parks Conservancy volunteer will join the Trackchair user\u2019s first time to ensure a safe experience.<\/p>\n