OUTBACK FARM ACCESSIBILITY PROJECT

A cooperative project in 2020 with the WWU Disability Access Center, WWU Student Outreach Center, WWU Outback Farm, where a classmate and I worked to advise and implement changes to the Outback Farm to make it more accessible for people of all abilities. The Outback was built to be an open community space on campus where students of all backgrounds and abilities would be able spend time and even grow their own food.

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The Outback was inaccessible for people of differing mobilities due to the uneven muddy terrene, difficult to reach low farm plots, and hard to use hand tools. We worked with the WWU Outreach Center and created a focused survey which guided the recommendations we made. After working with the managers of the Outback to determine funding, we were able to implement multiple changes. Raised garden beds which could be easily accessed standing or sitting down were implemented towards the entrance along with lower and more easily accessible water sources. Hand tools which can be used by people of a wide range of abilities were also added to the farm's tool shed.