Kent Stewart, who is completely without eyesight, is still trying to process what was taken.
“What am I going to do? What are the people in the disabled community going to do? How is it going to affect them?” he asked.
For Stewart and more than 1,000 other members of Adaptive Adventures in Kelowna, B.C., which provides adaptive outdoor recreation opportunities for people with disabilities, the thrill of trail rides and outdoor adventure is more than recreation. It’s freedom.
“Without Adaptive Adventures I just wouldn’t be able to do that anymore.”
Now, the program’s executive director says at least a dozen adaptive bikes were stolen from a secured site in Kelowna on Tuesday, dealing a major blow.
“A lot of these are adaptive cycles, so each bike is ranging from about $5,000 to $35,000 in cost,” said Tim Ropchan, executive director of Adaptive Adventures.
“The initial total estimate is going to be about $250,000.”
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As a result of the theft, the non-profit has now been forced to scale back much of its spring programming.
“The theft of the cycles is one thing, but it’s theft of access to the outdoors for people who need it most,” Ropchan said. “This is one of our most vulnerable populations.”
For Anand Kannan, the loss is deeply personal. He was left paralyzed from the chest down after a quad accident in 2008. The adaptive bikes, powered by hand cranks, allow him to experience the outdoors in a way that would otherwise be impossible.
“This stuff is specific for people with disabilities to use. I can’t use my legs, I have to use my hands,” Kannan said. “It’s going to be a loss until it can be replaced.”
The theft comes during what was supposed to be a milestone year for Adaptive Adventures, as the organization marks its 25th anniversary. Instead of celebrating, staff and volunteers are now focused on rebuilding.
“Now we’re sitting here picking up the pieces. That doesn’t seem fair to the community,” Ropchan said.
It’s unclear whether any arrests have been made. RCMP did not respond in time for publication.
In the meantime, Stewart is holding onto hope that he’ll soon return to the trails.
“It’s a really exhilarating feeling,” he said. “It kind of minimizes the feeling of having a disability.”
Adaptive Adventures is raising money, trying to recoup the loss of the bikes.
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