Beaufort County has partnered with AccessNow, to complete a pilot project enhancing accessibility awareness at Beaufort County’s Passive Parks. This is the first project of its kind in South Carolina, focusing on informing the public about accessibility on three popular passive parks: Widgeon Point, Crystal Lake, and Fort Fremont. AccessNow’s mission is to establish a go-to resource for accessibility information. Their platform empowers people to discover a world of accessible opportunities, make better decisions, and remove barriers.

Project Highlights:

• Three Mapped Trails: This initiative targets Widgeon Point, Crystal Lake, and Fort Fremont, providing decision-making accessibility information about these beautiful, popular parks. Additional trails and parks may be assessed in the future.
• Easy Access: The AccessNow mapping project includes important accessibility information including parking and restroom information, as well as any potential navigational hazards. These park accessibility maps can be viewed from the Passive Parks Department properties webpage, or the AccessNow website.

Passive Parks Director Stefanie Nagid emphasized the significance of the pilot program, stating, “This initiative is a tremendous step towards making Beaufort County’s outdoor spaces more inclusive and enjoyable for all members of the community. We look forward to seeing the positive impact this pilot program will have and hope to expand our efforts further.”

The Passive Parks Department also offers three all-terrain wheelchairs free for public use. These chairs can be reserved through filling out and submitting a print form available here, and an online registration form will be available soon.

For more information on Beaufort County Passive Parks, to view program schedules, and to stay updated, please visit our https://www.beaufortcountysc.gov/passive-parks/ at www.beaufortcountysc.gov.

For more information about AccessNow’s Outdoor program, please visit https://accessnow.com/outdoors/.