Drs. Bill Miller and Ben Mortenson have been awarded $10,000 from the UBC Strategic Equity and Anti-racism Enhancement Fund which will be used to establish a ‘GearBox’ on the UBC Vancouver Point Grey campus.
Created in partnership with RAD Society, this container will be a secure and accessible place to store adaptive RAD (recreational adaptive devices) for individuals with short-term and permanent mobility issues to rent and try out. Typically accessing these adaptive devices is expensive – tens of thousands of dollars to buy. This GearBox provides low-cost rental options to help lower the financial barrier to an independent, active and outdoor lifestyle.
It’s exciting to working with the RAD team, UBC Recreation, and the Campus and Community Planning groups to bring and house a GearBox at UBC Vancouver.
This means that the campus community who can benefit from this using leisure time physical activity equipment have the opportunity to do so, from the convenience of a local hub.
Dr. Bill Miller
Potential gear that will be available include hand cycles, 3-wheeled bikes for individuals with spinal cord injury, paragolfers, access trax (for beach access), sit skis, water toys, and adaptive kayaks, and more depending on funding and donations.
The project is still in early phases as the team works to set up the unit in Vancouver. Stay tuned for further announcements.
In the meantime, find out more about RAD Society, and the original, pilot GearBox, which is located in Langford.
Images: RAD Society.ca