Residents with mobility limitations can borrow all-terrain wheelchairs at Voice of America MetroPark to explore unpaved trails across the region.

MetroParks of Butler County announced Friday, Oct. 2 that two GRIT Freedom Chairs are available for public reservation. The lever-driven wheelchairs are built to handle unpaved trails and natural terrain that standard wheelchairs cannot navigate.

One adult-sized and one child-sized chair are available. Both are housed at the Voice of America MetroPark Welcome Center, 7850 VOA Park Dr., West Chester.

Borrowers are not limited to VOA MetroPark.

The chairs can be taken to any park, not just VOA MetroPark or other MetroParks locations, giving families flexibility to plan outings wherever they choose.

"Parks are for everyone," Jackie O'Connell, executive director of MetroParks of Butler County, said in the announcement. "We believe everyone should have the opportunity to experience the outdoors, and the GRIT chairs help make that possible by giving more people the freedom to explore natural spaces throughout our community."

A Community Fund Ohio grant funded the purchase. The organization funds Ohio-based nonprofits serving people with disabilities.

Reservations require a refundable $75 deposit and can be booked for weekdays or weekends, with weekend reservations covering both Saturday and Sunday. Residents can reserve online at yourmetroparks.net or by calling (513) 867-5835.

The Welcome Center is open Monday through Friday, 8:30 a.m. to 5 p.m. MetroParks has not clarified how weekend pickup and return work, since the center is closed Saturdays and Sundays.

The GRIT Freedom Chair uses lever-driven propulsion, according to manufacturer GRIT. The design lets riders navigate rocky trails, sandy beaches and snow.

A third GRIT chair is planned for use by schools and private programs during field trips. MetroParks said details on that reservation process will be released at a later date.

VOA MetroPark spans 435 acres in West Chester Township with nine miles of paved and natural trails. The park earned a Wheel the World Destination designation in 2025, recognizing its accessibility features.

The school and private-program chair will be the next step in the park system's accessibility push, though no timeline has been set.