Reaching New Heights

By Nicole Lewis

Photograph by Michael Havey

Growing up in rural New Hampshire, Bill Allen spent countless hours in his treehouse, playing games with his brothers and enjoying the bird’s-eye view of his backyard. But for people who rely on wheelchairs or are seriously ill, an afternoon spent relaxing high above the ground is usually out of reach.

To overcome that obstacle, Mr. Allen and a friend, Phil Trabulsy, five years ago started Forever Young Treehouses, a nonprofit group in Burlington, Vt., that has built nine wheelchair-accessible treehouses around the country.

Long, slightly graded ramps wind through trees to the houses, which are constructed to do the least damage to the supporting trees. At least five more houses are scheduled to be finished this year, which will bring the group a step closer to its goal of a treehouse in every state.

The houses have mostly been constructed for organizations that help sick or disabled children — including Paul Newman’s Hole in the Wall Gang Camp, in Ashford, Conn. They cost between $65,000 and $400,000 to build, depending on size and local labor prices. A big part of the cost is buying building materials that ensure the houses are sturdy enough to withstand the heavy weight of several motorized wheelchairs.

Mr. Allen hopes to build more treehouses in public parks to give families with a wheelchair-bound or elderly member a chance to enjoy the hideaway together. “Everyone is the same age in a treehouse,” says Mr. Allen.

Forever Young Treehouses draws its $180,000 budget from design and building fees. A builder from the charity oversees each project, which can take up to several months to finish. The charity’s employees also help interested groups raise money by drafting plans for the proposed treehouse that can be shown to donors.

Here, a student at Crotched Mountain School, an education and rehabilitation center for people with disabilities, in Greenfield, N.H., pays a visit to the school’s 20-foot-high treehouse, which was completed last July.