About Us
The Community Recreational Initiatives Society (CRIS), is a non-profit organization that serves the Okanagan providing adaptive, accessible, and inclusive outdoor recreation programs for people of all ages living with disabilities. CRIS is largely fuelled by a team of dedicated volunteers all with a commitment to the well-being of the local community.
Founded in 2001 by Troy Becker and Lynnette Legrandeur, they were inspired by a close relative with Down syndrome and their passion for all things outdoors, to create an organization that specialized in supporting people with various physical, cognitive, intellectual, or sensory challenges, whether permanent or temporary, gain access to outdoor pursuits. Since its inception, CRIS has been an organization which focuses on ability and works on #breakingdownbarriers to outdoor recreation, whatever those barriers may be.
CRIS has three distinct branches of programming:
Adaptive Adventures: Guided and supported urban day programs and events throughout the Okanagan providing opportunities for hiking, cycling, kayaking, paddleboarding, snowshoeing, and nordic skiing.
Accessible Wilderness Expeditions: Backcountry and wilderness trips or activities that fall outside the scope of our regular adaptive adventures programs.
Adaptive Rentals: Access to our wide variety of highly specialized adaptive equipment for independent use, which includes our social enterprise – Kelowna Bike Rentals where both adaptive and standard bikes are available to rent
through the spring and summer season.