Blackstone Heritage Corridor Gets Bike For Wheelchair Users

WORCESTER, MA — The Blackstone River Valley National Heritage Corridor expanded a little this week.

The region's only federal historic corridor received an electric-assist wheelchair bicycle, which will allow visitors with mobility impairments to experience more of the corridor's attractions, from trails in Worcester to the canal system in Uxbridge.

The bike, a Van Raam OPair, was a gift from the New England Region of the Network of the National Library of Medicine (NNLM). The bike was delivered on Monday, and will be available for use during spring programs through Northampton-based All Out Adventures, according to the corridor.

"This bike will open doors and break down barriers, and we are thrilled to be able to use it in our programs," All Out Adventures director Karen Foster said in a news release. "At All Out Adventures we see time and again how providing access to outdoor recreation for people of all abilities has the power to improve the quality of life of people with disabilities."

The Van Raam OPair allows wheelchair users to sit in a chair on the front of the bike while someone peddles behind them. The bike is also optimized to make it easy to move from a wheelchair onto the seat. Susan Halpin of NNLM was the first to test the bike this week with her mother, Ellie Guild.

The Blackstone River Valley National Heritage Corridor features miles of trails and historic sites between Worcester, Woonsocket and Providence exploring the region's industrial past. The corridor begins in Worcester at the Blackstone Heritage Corridor Visitor Center off McKeon Road, also the start of a three-mile rail trail that ends near downtown Millbury.