Malden Launches Inclusive Outdoor Program for Residents, Students with Disabilities

Malden Public Schools has launched an inclusive outdoor recreation program in partnership with The Great Malden Outdoors.

According to a report by the Patch of Malden, the first part of this new program, managed by Waypoint Adventure, is an adaptive outdoor event series focused on residents with disabilities. This program kicked off on Saturday, April 5, and will be held on Sunday, May 4, and Sunday, June 1. Activities will include hiking on the Middlesex Falls Reservation, with special equipment provided to participants to help them navigate rocky and uneven terrain. Rock climbing will also be held at Waitt's Mountain, an ADA-accessible location.

Friends of the Fells (FOF) and the Malden Out of School Time (MOST) afterschool program will oversee the program's second component. In this portion of the program, afterschool hiking will expand from the Salemwood School to the Beebe School, the largest public school in Malden.

According to a City of Malden news release, both programs are supported by grant funding from the Massachusetts Office of Outdoor Recreation (MOOR). The adaptive outdoor program is free for residents, and the MOST-FOF hiking program is free for participants.

“The Great Malden Outdoors goal from day one was to increase outdoor participation for all Malden residents by removing barriers to entry for this Environmental Justice (EJ) Community,” said First Seed Sown CEO Darren (DJ) Josey. First Seed Sown is the nonprofit that created The Great Malden Outdoors concept.

“With the help of MOOR, cost will not be an issue thanks to local nonprofit partnerships with Waypoint Adventure and Friends of the Fells who are providing professional guiding, equipment, and outdoor education. At a time when DEI and EJ work is being cut in both the public and private sectors, the state of Massachusetts is investing in outdoor access for those communities who are underrepresented outside.”

Learn more about these educational, recreational initiatives on The Great Malden Outdoors's website.