 By Barry Lindemann, Spinal Columns, CPA Alberta
A CPA Alberta member can once again roam his family’s farm, thanks to a neighbour's ingenuity.
If you were anything like me growing up, you enjoyed the fun of jumping on anything with a motor, making it go fast, and getting dirty in the great outdoors. After my spinal cord injury nine years ago, I thought my dirt days were long gone, and that I’d have to pacify my need for speed by driving my electric chair through crowded malls and city streets. But my attitude quickly changed when I heard about John Callister, a paraplegic from DeWinton, Alberta, and his snappy new all-terrain vehicle. It seems John’s neighbour, Lloyd Dixon, a pretty handy fellow in the machine shop, was watching one day last summer when John was hanging out with his kids. He noticed that, as strong as John was at wheeling around, it was pretty hard for him to move on the thick grass, gravel, mud and snow that was all around his property. A light bulb went off inside Lloyd’s head, and he headed straight to his shop. After many months and many modifications, the shop door was lifted up and his creation was unveiled to the world: a fully accessible, wheelchair friendly, all-terrain vehicle. Last Christmas Eve, Lloyd invited John to his shop and told him that he now had a new toy to call his own. They’ve both been smiling ever since Lloyd turned the machine over to John to put it through its paces. The sturdy vehicle Lloyd designed has a strong, comfortable seat that swivels to allow for easy transfers from a wheelchair. It also comes equipped with lights, a push-button starter, and hand-controlled gas and brake levers that allow you to control your movement and speed with a flick of your thumbs. Everything on the vehicle is laid out nicely with comfort in mind to allow for maximum fun. As well, safety hasn't been forgotten, as the machine includes both an easy-to-use seatbelt system and strong leg restraints to keep your body in the position you want. John’s been playing around his family’s 40 acres to his hearts content these last few months and enjoying every minute of it. He says the freedom is great--he can go over ground that would stop his other chair in its tracks, and the ATV’s made getting out with his boys a lot more fun. Even John’s wife Barb has enjoyed the new gas-sipping addition to the family. She says that no matter what the weather, going outside for a ride is always an option now for John and the kids. I really believe Lloyd’s come up with something that allows a person with a disability to truly get back to enjoying nature, not to mention getting a little dirty. Lloyd says that if anyone else out there is interested in getting one of their own, he could build it for a price starting around $5,000 depending on the motor size (from 4 – 20 horsepower are available). It seems like a small price to pay for all the fun a person could have. And, like Lloyd says, every guy needs a hot rod! |
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