October 2024 – Parks & Recreation - 24

WE ARE PARKS AND RECREATION
Including More Paddlers With
an Accessible Kayak Launch
By Lori Limpar
B
ill Bogdan is a man who loves the great outdoors. His favorite
activities include kayaking, fishing, camping, mountain biking
and scuba diving. What makes this 54-year-old outdoorsman so
unique is that at eight months old, he was diagnosed with neuroblastoma.
He doesn't remember much about his surgery or cancer treatments
that left him with incomplete paraplegia but he lives his life with
strong resiliency and acts as an advocate for equitable and inclusive recreational
opportunities for people with disabilities.
Bogdan, an outdoor enthusiast,
participates in recreational programs
offered through Adaptive Adventures
and the Shirley Ryan AbilityLab.
He is a disability liaison for the Illinois
Secretary of State's Office. He
is accustomed to searching for accessible
solutions for himself and other
people with physical disabilities.
In 2018, while Bogdan and his
family were vacationing in Maine
and looking to book an ocean kayak
excursion, he contacted six different
outfitters before finding one that
would " find a way to make it work. "
Through his perseverance, one vendor
was willing to accommodate where
and how they would launch their
kayaks, allowing his family the ocean
adventure they were hoping for.
Bogdan recently found himself
pleasantly surprised after using the
adaptive kayak launch at the Will
County Preserve on Lake Chaminwood,
Illinois. Bogdan stated,
" This was the first time in my life
I was able to launch myself independently.
Normally, it takes about
four to five people to help me in my
kayak. I'm a big guy. " Bogdan was
so excited about its ease of use that
he immediately contacted one of
the company's owners, explaining
how liberating it was for him to
launch independently on his very
first attempt.
His wife, Laura, was excited too,
as the launch's stability allowed her
to keep her feet dry and she didn't
need to lift or pull Bogdan in his
kayak. You can watch Bogdan's
launch at tinyurl.com/448yvdvx.
Bogdan believes the success of
the launch, equipped with adaptive
features in all the right places, is the
design influence of adaptive paddlers.
He commented that the " universal
access launch can be used by
all paddlers whether they need the
features or not. " These features will
improve everyone's paddling experience
and keep paddlers coming
back. Bogdan also commented on
the launch's instructional signage,
noting a QR code takes you to a
demonstration video that reviews
proper usage of the launch's features.
" Nothing was missed! "
As an accessibility advocate, if
Bogdan could predict the future,
he'd like to see that federal and state
parks lead the way in accessibility.
Bogdan understands firsthand that
disabilities are unique and there is
no one-size-fits-all solution. Kayaking
is an activity that connects
people to nature, and he'd love to
see more universal access launches
available for all people to enjoy,
like the one he has close to home
on Lake Chaminwood.
SEE ALSO: " Adaptive Kayaking:
Bill Bogdan demonstrates
the universal
access features of the
adaptive kayak launch
at the Will County Preserve
on Lake Chaminwood,
Illinois.
24 Parks & Recreation | O CTOBER 2 0 2 4 | PARK S ANDRECRE AT ION . OR G
Fostering Inclusion Outdoors, " Elena
Christopher, Parks & Recreation,
April 2024, Vol. 59, Iss. 4, tinyurl.
com/4zwaj9hr; " Ensuring Kayak
Launches Are Adaptive and Inclusive, "
Lori Limpar, Parks & Recreation,
July 2023, Vol. 58, Iss. 7, tinyurl.
com/4ht6rpmv.
Lori Limpar is Content Manager at
BoardSafe Docks (lori@boardsafedocks.
com).
PHOTO COURTESY OF CINDY CAIN AND CHAD MERDA, WILL
COUNTY (ILLINOIS) FOREST PRESERVE DISTRICT
http://tinyurl.com/448yvdvx
October 2024 – Parks & Recreation

Table of Contents for the Digital Edition of October 2024 – Parks & Recreation
