Murray Chantler is a 70-year-old with progressive degenerative neurological disease.
The Qualicum Beach resident said his disease was diagnosed in 2011 and is known as Primary Lateral Sclerosis (PLS) and is a rare sub-variant of Amyotrophic Lateral Sclerosis (ALS), known as Lou Gehrig’s Disease.
As a result of being afflicted with PLS, he is unable to walk and is dependent on a caregiver for help with his daily needs. He uses a lift chair 24 hours a day, seven days a week.
In 2023, Chantler took it upon himself to look for a specialized mobility device called a 'TrailRider' to rent for an outdoor excursion with his family. The device allows a disabled person to access hiking trails or other recreational areas with the assistance of two helpers known as 'Sherpas'.
There were none available in the Parksville Qualicum Beach area but found one to rent from the Campbell River Community Centre, a full two-hour return drive away.
"Given the demographics of this area and in the interest of expanding accessibility in the Oceanside area, I felt that this recreational void needed to be addressed," said Chantler, who went on to research other sources with the intention of buying one. He got the help hie needed from the British Columbia Mobility Opportunities Society, who builds the TrailRider.
"They have both new and used models of the TrailRider for sale and have been exceedingly helpful to me in my quest to fill this recreational void in our community," said Chantler.
The purchase price of a new TrailRider is $12,000. Chantler said after some discussion, "I agreed to purchase a three-year-old TR model for $5,000 on the condition that BCMOS agreed to give me some time to raise the money needed for this purchase, which they did without hesitation."
Chantler started working on raising funds for his Trailrider Project. His goal was to have it available in Parksville Qualicum Beach and loan it out for use.
"While I certainly hope to go on more excursions with my family using a TrailRider, the primary focus of my efforts is to provide an opportunity for physically disabled people and their families in the Oceanside area to enjoy the beauty of nature together," he said. "After applying for grants to help pay for the cost of a TrailRider, unfortunately without success, I then sent out fundraising emails in an effort to raise the necessary funds that way. The response from family, friends and others in the community was overwhelming and I ended up raising enough money to purchase two used TrailRiders. I managed to raise almost $9,000 so was able to pay for the two TrailRiders (the second older model was $3,000) and the cost of shipping with some funds left over for incidental costs."
The two TrailRiders arrived in the first week of May 2024. Chantler said he began looking for places to store the TrailRiders and it proved to be a bigger task than purchasing them.
Chantler's quest finally came to fruition when he got support and signed an agreement with Regional District of Nanaimo's Recreation and Parks Department and with Take Off Adventure Rentals in Coombs.
"I want to sincerely thank both of these entities for their commitment, for their enthusiasm, and for their willingness to work with me to further the recreational opportunities for the mobility challenged and their families," said Chantler. "I have donated the TrailRiders to both of these parties with one caveat. That caveat being that in the event of the cessation of their respective TrailRider rental program for whatever reason, they are required to immediately return ownership of their TrailRider back to me, or my heirs, at no additional cost. This caveat ensures that the TRs stay in the community and allows me, as the original owner to come to a similar arrangement with another community venue and community entity if that becomes necessary."
The RDN recently launched the TrailRider program to improve access to RDN parks and help residents with mobility challenges to enjoy accessible trails within the region. The program will run until the end of August, with trained RDN staff providing orientation for program participants. The program’s success will be reviewed after the summer to explore possible expansion.
“We’re pleased to pilot this exciting program which has seen success in other regions," said Vanessa Craig, RDN chair. "Improvements to enhance safe and equitable access to parks where possible, whether through the TrailRider program or through other types of park improvements such as level trails, tapping rails, or audio recordings of natural habitat information, ensures more residents can enjoy the beautiful parks in our region.”
The TrailRider is a one-wheeled mobility device powered by two or more people that combines the features of a wheelchair and a rickshaw, enabling inclusive outdoor trail access.
"I am ecstatic that the TrailRider project has finally reached fruition." said Chantler. "I couldn’t have done this without the generous support of family, friends and others in the community. Together, they not only graciously donated money to purchase the TrailRiders, but also shared their enthusiasm for the project and their expertise where needed. I am so exceedingly grateful for their support and thank them all from the bottom of my heart."
Interested trail riders can contact RDN Parks at 250-248-4744 or recparks@rdn.bc.ca to arrange for orientation and access to the TrailRiders.
