Musante Beach lands floating beach wheelchair after city receives grant

Musante Beach
Republican file photo

NORTHAMPTON — Musante Beach will soon have a floating beach wheelchair after the Northampton Parks & Recreation Department was awarded one through the SMILE Mass 2026 Floating Beach Wheelchair Grant Program.

SMILE Mass is a nonprofit that empowers families with disabilities to enjoy barrier-free recreation through inclusive recreation and adaptive programs. Through its Floating Beach Wheelchair Grant Program, SMILE is helping create more inclusive beaches, ponds and lakes throughout New England, according to the organization.

“I think the floating beach wheelchair is a great opportunity,” Parks & Recreation Director Ann-Marie Moggio told Reminder Publishing. “I think it’ll be a really great opportunity for people of different abilities to use Musante Beach and to be able to enjoy it up there, especially on these super-hot days we’re experiencing.”

Since launching this program, SMILE Mass has donated more than 180 floating beach wheelchairs to public beaches and ponds across New England to help individuals with disabilities safely access the water and enjoy time with loved ones.

“Accessibility is super important, and it’s a priority. I think this will be an important step and a good way for us to keep collaborating with some of the local partners we collaborate with, like All Out Adventures, and of course our Disability Commission in town, they’re all aware of the donation and will help us to get the word out once we move forward with the community outreach once the donation gets here,” Moggio added.

Northampton is one of five communities to be awarded through this round of grant awards for the beach wheelchair program. Musante Beach, open now for its 36th season, will be home to the wheelchair, which uses large balloon tires on the beach wheelchair that allows it to be pushed by a companion into the water. The armrest floats connected to the chair help users float in the water.

SMILE Mass donates approximately 20 beach wheelchairs annually in a mission to make every public beach and pond in New England accessible. To learn more about the beach wheelchair and about SMILE Mass’s work, visit www.smilemass.org.

Moggio said it is still to be determined when the beach wheelchair will be delivered to the city, but the plan is to host a community celebration for the new addition whenever the chair is received.

“It’s huge that they’re [SMILE Mass] promoting accessibility and inclusion. This is something that we may not even have thought about even pursuing,” added Moggio. “It’s going to promote more inclusion for all the current members of our community, and so I’m psyched to partner with them, and it’s great to know that this option is there, and now we get to provide some good memories for some people that might not otherwise have gotten that opportunity out here in Western Mass. We’re really thrilled. This is a generous donation, and it’s something we may not have otherwise known about.”