06/01/2026
What is "risky play"?
A capstone project by recent ECU graduate Sasha Bishop (BDes 2026) promotes childhood independence, resilience and social cohesion through outdoor exploration.
'All Hands on Dirt' is a series of mountain bike trail-building tools for kids developed by Sasha during his final year of study at ECU in collaboration with the North Shore Mountain Bike Association (NSMBA).
“My inspiration is my childhood,” says Sasha, an Industrial Design alum who grew up in Squamish, BC, where he and his family spent much of their time outdoors. “I was riding a bike before I was three years old, and the trail-building community throughout the south province is a tight group. They’re big environmental advocates who really emphasize knowledge transfer and ethical conduct. I was reflecting on my experiences in that community and wanted to create an intervention to give the same opportunity to more kids.”
All Hands on Dirt comprises versions of tools typically used for building mountain bike trails in the BC forests, all designed specifically for children. They include a Pulaski (a specialized forestry axe), a multi-tool hoe, a multipurpose tamper known as a McLeod and a rake.
Read more here: https://ow.ly/igNS50Z6spA
