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RAA Boosts Winter Outdoor Recreation
Winter is a beautiful season! There’s something magical about those quiet, snow-blanketed mornings in nature. And now, with RAA’s help, more people will be able to enjoy what’s beyond the parking lots of parks and trails.
The Accessibility Education Program in Motion
This is the Accessibility Education Program (AEP) at work. Through our partnership with the New York Power Authority and the NYS Canal Corporation, RAA helps recreation and tourism providers along the canalway open their doors to people with disabilities — training staff and volunteers, identifying and removing physical and social barriers, and building the kind of welcome where families know they are expected and invited to participate.
The result: more places where people with disabilities can show up, take part fully, and feel they belong.
Inclusion Partners Featured in the Winter Season
Several RAA Inclusion Partners were front and center in this winter’s On the Canals programming:
- Capt. LJ Tomboy Adventures (Fairport & Palmyra Region) — Inclusive First Day hikes and snowshoe outings (including the new sled) designed for families to enjoy nature together, with adaptations and supports so everyone can participate comfortably.
- Genesee Valley Audubon Society (Rochester & Avon Region) — Sit & Bird and Birding By Car experiences that opened the world of winter wildlife to people of all abilities.
- Hudson Crossing Park (Saratoga Region) — Accessible canalway trail experiences, including the Fire and Ice Hikes along the Champlain Canal corridor, Nature exploration excursions, Sleds & S’mores, and more.
Each of these partners has worked alongside RAA to embed inclusive practices into their operations — so that every time their doors are open, people with disabilities are expected and welcome.
A Statewide Message: This Season Belongs to You
We are so grateful to NYPA and the NYS Canal Corporation for investing in this work — and for using their platforms to tell the story of inclusive recreation across New York State. When state partners say out loud that the outdoors belongs to everyone, it changes what families across our communities believe is possible.
Ready to find your own next inclusive adventure? Visit our DirectConnect Resource Guide to discover places that are expecting you to participate.
See you out there! ❄️
Short video clip of Kate, Exec Dir of Huson Crossing Park pulling a guest on the adaptive sled while RAA’s Exec Dir, Anita, pushes the sled and others walk along with us on a snowy day in Schuylerville, NY. There is some chattering and cheering and the sound of snow crunching as boots and sled traverse the trail.
Two guests have fun in the snow after their excursions into the trails. Snowballs were thrown!
One guest shows us where we are on Hudson Crossing Park’s Riverwalk Sensory Trail.
Time for the next trek out along the riverwalk trail! A great way for guests to try out how the sled works, how it feels to ride in it, push it, or guide it from the front.
