The Newport Parks and Recreation Department announced the official
opening of its all-terrain mobility track chair program that can be checked out for use at
Don and Ann Davis Park.
The purpose of the program is to provide beach access for people facing mobility challenges. Anyone with mobility impairments including needing assistance with wheelchairs, scooters, walkers, canes, or crutches can use the chair free of charge.
“We have been working on this project for several months now, Newport Parks and Recreation Director Mike Cavanaugh said. We are excited to work with David’s Chair, our local community, and our wonderful volunteers that are helping facilitate the use of this new program.”
David’s Chair is an organization founded to help communities provide mobility access solutions.
The Newport chair is currently available for use Friday through Sunday with several
scheduled time slots of use on each day. The City hopes to expand the service during
the summer months. All reservations must be made through David’s Chair online
reservation system at https://davidschair.org.
Thank you for creating this for people in wheelchairs or have trouble walking. I can’t tell you how many people try to use their walkers on the beach. I recused a women whose walker got stuck in the wet sand and she lay unable to get up as the water rushed in and over her. My own daughter is disabled and I can see her trying this out.