A guided forest walk for all with TrailRider mobility devices

Everyone can join a guided Welcome Walk with Power to Be at East Sooke Regional Park on Sunday.

For this all-ages program, Power to Be will be providing two TrailRiders (mobility devices designed for exploring nature) for participants. The mobility device has the occupant seated, with volunteers in the front and rear operating it.

The TrailRiders allow people living with a disability or other physical barrier to gain access to nature. Unlike a wheelchair, the mobility device, which has a single wheel, can travel on rough terrain.

Participants in the guided walk will be accompanied by a Capital Regional District parks naturalist informing them about the plants and animals found in the park.

There will be stops along the way to take in the scenic views and learn what animals in the park are up to in springtime.

The one-kilometre walk takes place on a wheelchair-accessible trail with a smooth gravel surface and slight incline. TrailRiders can be reserved on a firstcome, first-served basis.

The program is free to join but pre-registration is necessary, as space is limited. It runs 1 to 3 p.m. Sunday, May 5, at East Sooke Regional Park.

For more information, or to register, go to crd.bc.ca/about/ events.

Power To Be is a non-profit organization that believes finances shouldn’t prevent anyone from accessing nature. They work to remove cognitive, physical and social barriers to the outdoors, with the support of staff and volunteers.

They have been working with CRD Parks for more than 10 years on various accessibility initiatives and have regularly collaborated on programs for more than two years.

Sports and recreation festival for kids

Children can try their hands at tennis, obstacle courses, adapted sports and more at the Family Sport and Recreation Festival at Pacific Institute for Sport Education (PISE) on Saturday.

Presented by TD, the event is an opportunity to introduce children to new opportunities and for parents to learn more about keeping their kids engaged in healthy activities.

The festival features more than 30 activities for kids and families to try out, including ultimate frisbee, golf, a Kids Dash around the track and more.

The event is free to join. It runs 11 a.m. to 3 p.m. Saturday, May 4, at PISE, 4371 Interurban Rd. in Saanich.

For more information, go to pise.ca.

Celebrate the blooming of the camas at Uplands Park

The Friends of Uplands Park is inviting the community to an outdoor party to celebrate the blue camas flowers in Uplands Park meadows and its restoration by volunteers on Sunday.

There will be family activities and wildflower walks with experts Wylie Thomas and Matt Fairbarns.

Listen to the soft rock of Ron Carter and the Bald Eagles Band, eat refreshments and browse through the displays of 15 environmental organizations.

The event is free to join. It runs noon to 3 p.m. on the grassy field at Cattle Point, Uplands Park, 3040 Beach Dr., in Oak Bay.

For more information, go to friendsofuplandspark.org.