Handicapped residents enjoy new trail

WESTFIELD, Mass. (WWLP) - Monday Stanley Park in Westfield opened its handicapped accessible nature trail to the public, and on Saturday dozens of handicapped residents came out to enjoy all of what nature has to offer.

The disabled and wheelchair-bound residents came to try out for themselves the new handicapped accessible trail.

One young woman used a walker along the accessible path that brought her closer to nature.

Wheelchair-bound Wilbraham resident  Earl Way told 22News it has been 20 years since he has been to Stanley Park. This new trail gives him all the reason he needs to become a frequent visitor. "It really opens things up to families. I'm the only one in our family in a wheelchair. The whole family becomes inaccessible by one person being in a wheelchair, so it really opens things up," said Way.

The accessible trail with its smooth surface and level ground becomes a delight for small children hardly old enough to meet the challenge of a hard to get to traditional nature trail.

"I hope that people come out and look at it because they will really enjoy. It's just gorgeous and I think so many people in chairs don't get out and see this part of nature," explained Holly Santos of Wilbraham.

Stanley Park expects to host many visitors in chairs this summer, availing themselves of western Massachusetts very first handicapped accessible nature trail.