We Are Alt Route

We are a collective of visually impaired skaters that make existing skateparks accessible and raise awareness for accessible skateboarding

We Make Skateparks Accessible

By using a system of colour coded lines, audio beacons, and LED lights we make skate terrain visible and distinguishable for individuals with low vision

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Watch Us Skate Live!

The Second Ever Accessible Skatepark Event is happening live on Youtube and on this page.

 

What is Alt Route?

Alt route is a fully funded project through a grant received from RisingYouth and TakingITGlobal. The project works to create safe, accessible, and inclusive skatepark experiences for youth with vision loss and low vision. We do this by implementing adaptations to skateparks; adaptations that we've pioneered through hands-on research with our skate team.

A background of hand line drawings of a burger, pop, shoes, glasses, headphones and other skate culture accessories followed by the Skate Bats Logo which is a touque with bat ears and a lightning bolt on the touque brim with the words Skate Bats underneath. A photo of 5 low vision skate boarders standing and smiling. From the left. A smiling teenage boy with shades, in a blue shirt, grey shorts, with black knee pads. A smiling young man with a baseball cap, grey t-shirt, brown khakis with a skate board propped on his left leg. A smiling teenage boy, wearing a red helmet, shades, a t-shirt that fades from blue to magenta and black shorts. A smiling teenage girl with long light brown hair wearing a blue shirt and dark grey shorts. And last; a smirking teenage girl wearing a grey Edmonton Elks baseball cap, blue shirt and grey and green shorts.
Make the Invisible Visible

High Visibility Markers

We use brightly coloured series of lines and patterns laid out onto the concrete with a "colour code" that helps skaters with low-vision to be able to 'see' transitions, lines and landing spots.

Hear What's Coming

Auditory Beacons

Audio beacons emit a beeping or ticking noise that allow low vision and no vision skateboarders the ability to determine where skatepark obstacles are and used to provide reference for ramps, stairs, drops, and gaps.

Get a Feel for the Park

Rumble Strips

Just like rumble strips on a road are designed to get your attention. Rumble strips in the skatepark give low vision and no vision skaters warning of the more advanced skateboarding obstacles in a park.

Adaptation Demonstration

Making A Roll-in & Fly-out Visible

Video

Alt Route's Matt and Curtis explain some of the visibility markers placed strategically to help Cassandra work towards her goal of 'flying out' of the bathtub bowl at Calgary's Shaw Millenium Park.

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Testimonials

I loved watching the youth grow, and get more confident over time knowing that the facility was set up to best suit their needs.

Parent

The best part about participating in Alt Route is being able to skateboard safely.

Participant

Love the fact that each and every child was able to express what would help.

Parent

I like the bright colour tape markings, they allow me to feel safe, and know when a drop is coming up.

Participant

Latest News

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How We Make Skateboard Parks More Accessible for Blind and Low Vision Athletes

  • Wednesday, Mar 31, 2021

The feeling is what I remember the most from that morning on Nov. 14, 2020. I stopped to catch my breath and saw it: The Compound indoor...

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We Got to Speak on the Eyes Free Sport Podcast

  • Saturday, Jan 16, 2021

Alt Route Founders, Curtis Ruttle and Matt Janz, were featured on the Eyes Free Sports Podcast.

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CNIB Highlighted an Article We Wrote for Them

  • Tuesday, Dec 08, 2020

Alt Route Founder, Curtis Ruttle, wrote an article for CNIB explaining his work on the Alt Route project. We’d say more, but the article speaks for itself. Way to go...

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We Were In The News With Calgary Herald

  • Sunday, Nov 15, 2020

We are excited to have been highlighted by the Calgary Herald. Journalist Jason Herring and the Calgaru Herald film crew took the time to chill with the Alt Route project...

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