Athol, Massachusetts, may soon build a handicapped accessible dock on the Millers River. It will allow people to paddle to an existing accessible dock, a little downstream.

The dock would enable people to move from a wheelchair to a kayak or canoe on the Millers River.

Eric Smith, Athol’s Director of Planning and Community Development said the project is also designed to draw more visitors to downtown, which is close to the river and to support accessible tourism.

“This would be one of the first unique systems where there are two handicapped accessible docks in a six-mile stretch,” said Smith, “or any kind of stretch connecting together in Massachusetts.”

In Holyoke, there is an accessible rowing program. An Easthampton program offers paddling and cycling for the disabled.

Athol got most of the $42,000 price tag for the dock from the state. It’s running a public crowd-sourcing campaign to raise additional funds and hopes to have the dock built by Memorial Day.

Fonte: New England Public Radio

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