Floating beach wheelchair arrives at Musante Beach

Various city officials and representatives from SMILE Mass pose for a photo on Musante Beach with the community’s new floating beach wheelchair.
Reminder Publishing photo by Trent Levakis

NORTHAMPTON — A floating beach wheelchair was delivered to Musante Beach in Leeds on July 21, offering a new level of accessibility for beachgoers in Northampton.

The city was awarded the accessibility tool through the SMILE Mass 2026 Beach Wheelchair Grant Program, which aims to create more inclusive beaches, ponds and lakes throughout New England, according to the organzation.

“It’s super special. It opens up your eyes to how to get even more accessible up here. When we were awarded it, we thought wow this is amazing. Yesterday, we even got a phone call from someone who said, ‘how can I reserve it for when I come up?’” said Parks & Recreation Director Ann-Marie Moggio, who added that those interested in using the wheelchair can reach out to the Parks & Recreation Department. “It really has opened our eyes, and hopefully, more community members who need it will be able to use it here. We are very excited about it.”

SMILE Mass is a nonprofit that empowers people with disabilities and their families through barrier-free recreation with inclusive recreation and adaptive programs.

Since launching this program, the organization has donated more than 180 floating beach wheelchairs to public beaches and ponds across New England to help individuals with disabilities access the water. Senior director of operations for SMILE Mass, Todd Civin, delivered the beach wheelchair and said the nonprofit has expanded its mission of bringing beach wheelchairs to as many New England communities as possible.

“For us, it’s a big year of giving, but it provides accessibility to so many other places. It speaks loudly about a municipality that makes accessibility part of who they are and what they do. It speaks of what good people you are because you think about people who are less fortunate than yourselves,” Civin said to the group of city officials, Musante Beach staff, the mayor’s office and the Office of Planning and Sustainability. “You’re going to get goosebumps the first time you see somebody using it and the joy that it brings them. I think this is going to allow you to begin thinking accessible, and it’s contagious. Other people are going to want to be like Northampton because you made this such an important part of your programs.”

Northampton was one of five communities awarded through this round of the program. Musante Beach, in its 36th season, will be home to the wheelchair, which uses large balloon tires so it can be pushed by a companion into the water. The armrest floats connected to the chair help users float in the water.

Mayor Gina-Louise Sciarra was in attendance for the delivery and thanked Moggio and Parks & Recreation Assistant Director Shelby Michna for their effort in securing the grant.

“We’re so grateful to be a recipient of this, so thank you. This means so much to us to be able to provide this kind of access here at Musante, and I love the idea that it is going to light a fire in folks to think about accessibility in different ways in recreation areas, and that this will expand access throughout Northampton and then the region as more people will get excited about projects like this,” said Sciarra.

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

“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,” Moggio told Reminder Publishing in June following the announcement. “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 the opportunity out here in Western Mass.”