PRINEVILLE, OR -- Two new wheelchair accessible community wagons made their debut in last weekend’s Prineville Christmas Parade.

The project started in the spring of 2019, after City Engineer Eric Klann asked a group of first graders to become junior land use planners for the Barnes Butte Recreation Area. "After they were onsite multiple times, they really appreciated the open space and kind of the natural beauty," he tells KBND News, "And from there, they said we should try to keep it as natural as possible; you know, open space is important." But the kids realized not everyone could enjoy the area, "One of the young ladies that was in that group was bound to a wheelchair, and so she wasn’t able to participate in any of the outings because - we did have old wagons, but they weren’t ADA accessible."

So, Klann says, they turned to the community to create large accessible wagons - trailers that can hold up to 50 people. "We designed these parade wagons with wheelchair lifts. We had Crook County High School welding construct one, and Mountain View High School out of Bend construct the other over the course of several years. We finally finished them and we debuted them at the Christmas Parade, last Saturday, here in Prineville."

That original Barnes Butte Elementary class got to take part in the inaugural ride on Saturday, "Now they’re fifth graders," says Klann, "And the young lady that was bound to a wheelchair, she was able to attend and ride in the wagon. It was a long time coming, COVID and just material supplies really kind of drug it out. But, now these wagons will be staged at the fairgrounds for the fair, for the horse races, for the rodeo we’ll use them to get people around, and then any other activities in the community when we’re working with the school district." 

Klann says the project cost the city very little and was made possible by donations from community sponsors.