Alachua Conservation Trust’s New EcoRover All-Terrain Wheelchair Set to Debut To the Public This Fall
June 18th, 2024
Gainesville, Florida – A brand new EcoRover all-terrain wheelchair recently arrived at Alachua Conservation Trust’s (ACT) Prairie Creek Preserve. The EcoRover was purchased with funds generously awarded as part of the Christopher & Dana Reeve Foundation National Paralysis Resource Center (NPRC) 2023 Direct Effect 2nd Cycle Quality of Life grant program. ACT was one of fifty-nine grant recipients, receiving a $15,000 grant for its trail accessibility project. A total of $1,271,125 in grants were awarded during this cycle.
The Quality of Life Grants Program supports non-profit organizations that empower individuals living with paralysis. Since the Quality of Life Grants Program’s inception, more than 3,770 grants totaling $43 million have been awarded. Funding for this program was made possible through a cooperative agreement with the Administration for Community Living.
ACT is now working to make the EcoRover available to the community through a new trail accessibility program and has already completed the first official test drive with Alachua County resident Maggie Davison.
“Thank you Alachua Conservation Trust for seeing those of us in the community with these needs and the work you are doing to make your accessibility program a reality,” said Davison after her ride. “It was easy to learn to use, and it was fun to roll along on soft sands, rocky sections, over some large exposed tree roots, little hills and straight paths, going off trail to check out wildflowers. What a privilege it was to have this opportunity.”
ACT will continue to test out the Eco Rover with members of the community and anticipates rolling out the new program to the public this fall. Until then, ACT will work towards improving infrastructure on our trails as well as building the foundations for this program to be successful and effective for the community.
Those interested in supporting ACT’s new trail accessibility program, can make a donation online at https://www.alachuaconservationtrust.org/donate (please indicate “accessibility” in the comments online). Donations will be used to widen existing bridge structures, purchase a trailer to transport the EcoRover to different preserves, and purchase equipment to retrofit the rover with even more adaptive capabilities to suit the needs of our community and make ACT’s conservation lands more accessible for everyone to recreate on and explore.
The Quality of Life Grants Program supports non-profit organizations that empower individuals living with paralysis. Since the Quality of Life Grants Program’s inception, more than 3,770 grants totaling $43 million have been awarded. Funding for this program was made possible through a cooperative agreement with the Administration for Community Living. For additional information about the project, please contact ACT at info@AlachuaConservationTrust.org or (352) 373-1078.
