From Zumba classes taught in American Sign Language to adaptive ice skating equipment, the University of Colorado Recreation Center wants to be the fitness hub for all students on the Boulder campus.
As part of a new inclusive recreation initiative, the recently renovated center is offering specialized events and programming to better serve students with mobility impairments, visual impairments and other disabilities.
The center is also hosting events to welcome LGBTQ students, veterans and members of other groups to the facility, said Nicole LaRocque, associate director of programs for the CU Recreation Center.
“It’s about serving those that we may not be serving otherwise or trying to meet their specific needs while educating and creating a welcoming environment,” she said. “Oftentimes people think the rec center is treadmills and basketball courts and it’s not. It’s community, it’s education and it’s development.”
Center staffers went through training offered by Paradox Sports, a Boulder nonprofit that specializes in adaptive climbing programs. The university has also partnered with Paradox Sports on several indoor and outdoor climbing events for students with disabilities.
“Our first adaptive climb last spring had about 20 people and it was so cool to see,” LaRocque said. “People were there with guide dogs. I even got a thank you note in Braille.”
LaRocque added that the inclusive programming isn’t meant to serve huge numbers of students. Instead, the center is aiming for positive and meaningful experiences for students who participate.
“If we have one, two, five climbers on the wall that are either blind or paralyzed or missing a limb, that’s five people that we’re making feel part of the community and that’s fantastic,” she said.
Students can use adaptive strength-training equipment in the weight room and the center recently purchased ice sleds and walkers for adaptive ice skating.
Mike McNeil, access coordinator for CU Disability Services, said the university wants students to feel included at all times, not just when they’re in the classroom.
“Our students come here for the same reasons everybody else does,” he said. “It’s a great academic school. A lot of students who come here want to snowboard, go rock climbing, they want to kayak, they want to mountain bike.”
Boulder’s love of outdoor recreation and the academic opportunities at CU drew Vijay Viswanathan here from South Carolina in 2003. Shortly after he moved to Boulder, Viswanathan was involved in an outdoor climbing accident that left him paralyzed from the chest down.
CU Inclusive Recreation
For more information, visit colorado.edu/recreation/inclusive-rec or call Nicole LaRocque at 303-492-1091.
Viswanathan, now 31, is pursuing a bachelor’s degree in finance and a concurrent master’s degree in accounting at CU. When he’s not in class or working at a Boulder wealth advisory firm, Viswanathan also volunteers with Paradox Sports.
He participated in one of the adaptive climbing days held at the recreation center last year and has also helped the center test out some of its adaptive gear.
Viswanathan, who regularly skis, climbs and rides mountain bikes, said he’s impressed that CU is seeking help from experts, such as those at Paradox Sports, so that students will have the best experience possible.
“They’re really going above and beyond to enable students and faculty with disabilities to use the equipment and use the facility to the fullest extent possible,” he said.
Growing up, Derek Reimer and his dad frequently went climbing with his Boy Scout troop. Since he started studying computer science at CU, Reimer has been climbing regularly with his friends on Friday nights.
Reimer, who is blind, attended one of the recreation center’s adaptive climbing events to show support for the program.
“(I wanted) to show them there were actually people who thought the program was useful and hopefully bring more awareness to adaptive sports and get other people involved so the program can grow,” he said.
Sarah Kuta: 303-473-1106, kutas@dailycamera.com or twitter.com/sarahkuta
Our editors found this article on this site using Google and regenerated it for our readers.
