- December 21, 2024
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The first person to use the new city of Sarasota EcoRover hadn't seen the beach in years.
“A family rented it out for the first time,” said Jake Brown, city of Sarasota ADA coordinator. “They brought their grandfather from an assisted living (facility) who had not been to the beach in years. They had the best time from what I understand and were able to put a smile on his face after all the years he thought he couldn’t go to the beach anymore.”
Starting this past July, the EcoRover, a beach-friendly accessibility chair, allows people with disabilities to independently explore Lido Beach where it wasn’t an option for them before. City of Sarasota employees hope that this will pave the path to building a more accessible community around Lido Key and Longboat Key.
Before the EcoRover, beach wheelchairs and Mobi-mats, which are portable rollout mats for wheelchairs to safely cross the beach, were the only options for people with disabilities to enjoy the area's beaches and parks. Though these are great options, they do not allow people to independently explore as they please because someone would also have to accompany them to push them through the sand.
After a board member experienced this with a family member, the Sarasota City Commission-appointed Citizens with Disabilities Advisory Board started looking for a solution that would allow people with disabilities more freedom, especially with the expansion of accessible options around the area including buses and entertainment around the area.
The EcoRover was $14,000 and funded through handicap parking violation fines, which allow it to be free for use by those with disabilities. This electric, hand-controlled track chair with all-terrain treads allows people to enjoy the beach which is usually a difficult place to navigate for people with wheelchairs and disabilities.
The chair includes storage for an oxygen tank, umbrella and tools. It also has a remote control for a companion to help those without the use of their hands.
Due to Hurricane Debby, only one person has reserved the chair so far, but Brown said people have shown a lot of interest. He is excited to see the chair in action now the beaches are returning to normal after the storm.
“Part of living in Florida is going to the beach,” said Brown. “So, we wanted to make sure that everybody can experience the beautiful beaches of Sarasota.”
After discovering how difficult it is for wheelchair users to get onto the beach, the Longboat Key Fire Rescue started brainstorming about how to make it more accessible and avoid falls from people who try to visit the beach on their own. This year, the department made room in the budget to purchase a sand wheelchair.
“The fire department has found that some families may not be able to get down there to the beach,” said Fire Chief Paul Dezzi. “Here's an opportunity for them to use the chair, get them out of the house and down to the beach and make it a nice day.”
The chair is built to ensure smooth journeys on the sand without falling. That does make it more difficult to get onto the beach, but the Fire Rescue Department offers to help people get it there.
To make it as accessible as possible, the sand wheelchair is a free option. Once people call to reserve the chair, they can come pick it up by giving a $20 deposit. When returning it, they will receive the deposit back. The chair must be cleaned before returning it.
Most of the families that have used it are visitors, but Dezzi is hoping that more locals will start to use it if they need it. He said that about six people have used it so far. People can use it as long as needed, one family using it for a week once. It is a first-come, first-served process.
The sand wheelchair and the EcoRover are only a few options to make it easier for people with disabilities to enjoy the area's beaches. Dezzi said they are always open to hearing ideas to make the island a more accessible place.
