Volunteers are working to reopen Albuquerque’s new ADA sensory trail after it closed last week due to flooding.
Tijeras Arroyo BioZone is one of few nature trails in the state that is compliant with the Americans with Disabilities Act. It’s wheelchair accessible with educational components available in Braille, Spanish, and more. The trail was designed with everyone in mind.
Theresa Aragon with Heroes Path Palliative Care led the team tasked with ensuring inclusivity.
“ We started out by taking our kids to other open spaces that seemed to be successful, that were labeled as accessible, but we noticed that we really couldn't get out of the pretty part right next to the parking lot. So to see the kids can actually get deeper into the East Mountains and right next to a creek, It just means so much because now they can find a place that's really made for them and made for everybody. “
The trail has interactive stations where visitors can engage with nature through senses like touch, smell, and hearing.
Albuquerque Open Space Superintendent Colleen Langan McRoberts spoke about the importance of increasing accessibility in New Mexico’s open spaces.
“Reaching out to those very community members that have those barriers and talking about what can we do to reduce those barriers so that you are welcomed, you are safe, you are able to have a very immersive experience. It's not just a concrete path next to the parking lot, which often is the case.”
The trail closed due to damage from flooding just one week after its opening. Superintendent Langan McRoberts hopes the trail will open to the public again soon, but expects it may take a couple months before the trail is restored.