This year, BC Parks partnered with BC Parks Foundation, and the Island Deaf and Hard of Hearing Centre (IDHHC) to expand their project to make provincial parks more accessible to those who are hearing impaired.
The series began last year as a single video project that provided a self-guided nature walk of Goldstream Provincial Park in American Sign Language (ASL). It has since grown to cover five parks in total.
This year, they have added self-guided nature walks and tours of Rathtrevor Beach Park, Cultus Lake Park, Golden Ears Provincial Park, and a virtual sunset photography lesson at Porteau Cove Park.
Led by the IDHHC, the program is intended to increase accessibility of British Columbia’s provincial parks. It will enable hearing impaired children and adults to fully connect with, learn about, and enjoy the natural beauty of the provincial parks. The tours and programs are available via a QR code at each park, YouTube, and on the activities section of the BC Parks website. More information on this program can be found here.
