Providing Accessible ReCreation Outdoors-User-driven Research on Standards: Novel Method for Winter Assessments (Preprint)

BACKGROUND Although there have been recent efforts to improve access to Canadian national parks, many remain not fully accessible to people with disabilities. Winter conditions, in particular, present challenges that limit their participation in outdoor activities. OBJECTIVE To develop a novel method to assess park access during winter that will inform recommendations for national park standards to meet needs of all park visitors (regardless of ability) during winter conditions. METHODS A larger participatory mixed-methods research project exploring park access was adapted [1]. Specifically, the second phase of the study to conduct in-person winter mobile interviews (i.e., walking and wheeling interviews) with people who have a wide range of disabilities while visiting three parks in two provinces was modified. Changes were made to accommodate the extreme winter weather conditions in Quebec while using safe and informative data collection methods. In Quebec, one park, where winter conditions are safer, will be assessed in person (n=4). Virtual interviews will be used to facilitate the assessment of other winter and summer conditions in two other parks (n=8). RESULTS - CONCLUSIONS We expect that adapting the protocol to gather further information on winter conditions and access to parks will provide high-quality and rich data to better inform park access standards. This participatory mixed-methods research will inform the development of park standards that consider the accessibility needs of all people.