Join the Elderberries! Free program ages 50+
Enhancing Access to Nature for Older Adults and Seniors, also referred to as Enhancing Access to Nature and EANOA for short, is a developing Green Venture project aimed to increase and improve access to greenspace and community for Hamilton older adults and seniors. EANOA overlaps with Green Venture’s site and program accessibility work for people with disabilities and mobility challenges.
Our Goals & Mission
The core mission of EANOA is to create space and support for Hamilton’s aging population to access nature and all its associated mental, physical, spiritual, and emotional health benefits. This looks like…
- Offering group nature-oriented indoor and outdoor programming geared to older adults and seniors
- Making EcoHouse and Green Venture events more accessible for those with mobility challenges and disabilities
- Lending adaptive equipment to local walking, hiking, and community groups and organizations serving this demographic
- Collaborating with existing Hamilton-based organizations to provide inclusive outdoor programming and events for older adults and seniors
Our pilot programming for 2026 will be taking place in part at EcoHouse, operating under the name Elderberries. Each session is 2 hours, and will be focused on enjoying time in nature; learning new horticultural and environmental skills; and socializing as a group as we do activities. Our current dates (also in the event calendar) are set for March 27, April 2, April 10, and April 16. All sessions begin at 11am and end at 1pm, and are open to people ages 50+.
How to Register:
Limited seating is available at each session. Please contact us at [email protected] or text/call (+1 289-812-8484) to reserve your free spot, or fill out our form below. Participation in our study, which is outlined in the next section, is optional!
EANOA has been in the community for a short time, but you may have seen us. To date, we have tabled at various senior and accessibility fairs, run an all-terrain wheelchair loan booth at the HRIC’s Truth & Reconciliation event at Gage Park, and hosted a small try-it ride with residents at Shalom Village.
Our Study
EANOA is funded in part by the Hamilton Community Foundation’s Community Health, Education & Research (CHER) fund. CHER’s objectives are to support innovative applied or participatory research in community health. Part of EANOA’s work entails an exciting research study with multiple community partners involved including the HCoA, McMaster, Shalom Village, and Trees for Hamilton. Our study aims to collect and summarize data on the experiences of participants in our programming as we provide indoor and outdoor intervention programming to improve access to greenspace and nature, promote mobility throughout seniorhood, and provide opportunities for intergenerational social inclusion and enrichment. This study collects informed, user-provided data through conversations, surveys, and testimonials.
Our All-terrain Wheelchairs
Green Venture has four all-terrain wheelchairs available at EcoHouse for use in our programs, tours, and events. Our all-terrain wheelchairs (Freedom Chair 3.0 and Junior models) were purchased through the Ontario Trillium Foundation (OTF) Capital grant, and sourced from GRIT, a company specializing in adaptive hiking equipment. These chairs are designed with mountain bike tires, levers to propel, a third stability wheel, and anti-tip bars all to provide the outdoor terrain versatility that traditional wheelchairs fall short of. Our adult chairs have a weight limit of 300lbs, and can be less comfortable for larger persons. The chairs do not accommodate all sizes.
A goal of EANOA is the loaning of these chairs to existing Hamilton-based groups and programs who serve older populations to increase greenspace accessibility across the city. If you are part of or lead a walking group, care facility, retirement home, or other organization or group serving this demographic, and are interested in borrowing or renting a chair and being part of our study, you can contact the education team at [email protected]
Our chairs can also be made available to businesses, festival coordinators, and all for-profit organizations at sliding scale cost, or for free if cost presents a barrier.
For individuals curious about all-terrain wheelchairs or wanting to try them out, our chairs are available to test and borrow on-site for free on reception days (Fridays, 9am - 4pm). A reservation must be made in advance and can be done by emailing [email protected] to schedule a date and time window.