Ottawa police bring back Easter egg hunt for visually impaired children
Posted Mar 23, 2025 08:47:43 AM.
Last Updated Mar 23, 2025 08:47:48 AM.
An Easter egg hunt made accessible for visually impaired children is returning on April 12 thanks to the Ottawa Police Service (OPS).
This is the second year OPS will host the event in collaboration with the Canadian National Institute for the Blind (CNIB). It’s a traditional Easter egg hunt, with a small adaptation. The eggs emit an audible electronic “beep” so that they can be found by children who live with a visual disability.
Similar hunts will be hosted in Edmonton and Calgary, Alta. and Saskatoon, Sask., as well as several cities across the United States.
According to the CNIB website, the accessible hunts were pioneered by David Hyche in 2005 when he reached out to the Blind Children’s Center in Los Angeles about its Easter eggs that emit audible electronic beeps.
He wanted to find a way for his daughter, Rachel, who was visually impaired, to participate in Easter egg hunts.
With the help of the centre, Hyche was able to construct 40 eggs and host the first accessible hunt as a part of what is now known as The Rachel Project, which hosts events across North America.
In addition to the egg hunt, families can have lunch and participate in crafts, games, and face painting at the CNIB Ottawa Hub.
The event will take place between 11:00 a.m. and 1:00 p.m. Participants will meet at the CNIB office in Lansdowne at 425 Marché Way, Unit 104 before walking to Sylvia Holden Park.
Registration is required and must be done by March 31, and can be completed on the CNIB website, or by clicking here.
