Alberta Abilties Lodges Society
Posted by Vi Hughes on Jul 06, 2016
On Tuesday we heard a presentation from Ross Wein (pictured), of the Alberta Abilities Lodges Society. The society was established in 2007 to create a resource for disabled adults and seniors to enable them to enjoy outdoor activities to whatever extent they wish.
In Alberta, we need more accessible outdoor accommodations, trails, gardens and sports installations for handicapped adults. The Societies aim is to provide adapted outdoor equipment, outdoor events and outdoor facilities that are handicapped accessible.
In October 2015, they took possession of the former Alsike minimum security prison facility, on 480 acres, located on Coyote Creek, near Coyote Lake, about sixty kilometers west of Leduc. It has been renamed Coyote Lake Lodge, and they are currently in the process of renovating and upgrading the lodge, cabins, and associated outbuildings. The dining hall will seat forty people and they have overnight accommodations both in the main lodge and in four nearby cabins. They also have meeting room space and a library in the main lodge and will be offering both day and night time programs. The official opening will be held in August of this year. Hundreds of volunteers have helped to make this dream a reality, and many more are still needed to continue with the improvements envisioned by the Society.
They currently have no government funding and rely strictly on charitable donations. They would like to be able to provide better accessibility to the various buildings, improved change rooms, bathroom and shower facilities, improved trails, a sports field, a garden and a heliport to provide for ease of medical evacuation if needed. In future they also hope to include a teepee village, RV and tenting sites. The property is heavily treed and needs to be tidied up with removal of weeds and deadfall and there is also lots of inherited metal 'junk' that needs to be disposed of. They would also like to be able to provide transportation for clients to and from the lodge with an endowment fund. They will gladly accept all offers of support both monetary and in kind.
Ross Wein