PEORIA, Ill. – “The Track Chair is essentially when a Caterpillar tractor and a wheelchair have a baby.”
That’s how Peoria Park District Executive Director Emily Cahill described the new devices that debuted at Forest Park Nature Center on Friday.
The Track Chair is a vehicle that looks like a power wheelchair. It has a joystick to be able to move around, but it uses track wheels that one would see on a bulldozer instead of round wheels to be able to cover all types of terrain.
“By providing a wider base and propulsion that is not just someone pushing you, it allows us to get people who are not able to walk our trails to give them the opportunity to ride on our trails safely,” Cahill said.
The park district purchased two Track Chairs at around $35,000 each, as well as a trailer to move them and power to recharge the batteries. She says it took a couple years to find the right chairs, as well as the funding to buy them.
Cahill says the Track Chairs help achieve one of the park district’s goals of accessibility for everyone.
The Track Chairs will be available for rental, starting on Wednesday.
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