The elements that lead to the realization of
the prototype
The instigator of les Courses Partagées de Sherbrooke, Dr. Marc Therrien, wanted to give a greater human meaning to his running activities.
In 2013, he told his friend Patrick Doucet, then dean of the Faculty of Engineering at the University of Sherbrooke, of his need to have wheelchairs better suited to running. A young team of students from the faculty of mechanical engineering is embarking on the design of the first KARTUS which will be unveiled during their Mécagéniale Exhibition in December 2014. The name “KartUS” ends with US to indicate its design at the University of Sherbrooke, but is easily interpreted as “a kart for us”.
The designers of the first KartUs
The team of graduating students at the Faculty of Engineering at the Université de Sherbrooke presenting their prototype, with Dr Marc Therrien sitting in their KartUS! A huge THANK YOU to(from left to right): Frédéric Paradis – Jérôme Boucher – Jonathan Gagné – Charles Longpré – Alexandre Tougas – Olivier Chamberland – Vincent Pelletier
Philip Oligny, a classmate, inspired by Kartus, offers to design improvements to the prototype and begin their production. The first 5 Kartus of this new design were purchased by Dr Marc Therrien and the Courses Partagées de Sherbooke made their first activity in spring of 2016. A 2nd generation of Kartus is then design with major improvements and 5 additional Kartus are then acquired in spring 2022.
Philip Oligny, president of the Kartus compagny (right), with René Therrien, president of Courses Partagées de Sherbrooke, upon delivery of the 5 additional Kartus chairs acquired in spring 2022.
Dr Therrien’s parents, Huguette and René, are greatly involved in the organization of the Courses Partagées de Sherbrooke. To favor and facilitate many aspects, the Courses Partagées de Sherbrooke become a nonprofit organization in 2019. The board of directors formed allows to solidify and expand the overall activities. The runs have taken place on Wednesday mornings since they began in 2016 and its influence is achieved through the arrival of new co-runners and runners who take these moments of active sharing in nature to heart and invite close people to participate! Thank you all for your presence!
Several partners have also allowed the Courses Partagées de Sherbrooke to develop. A huge THANK YOU to everyone helping us make our activities possible!