Sensory-safe events are creating inclusive spaces for PG families

Prince George offers many great activities, outings, and events enjoyed by people across the city. However, many individuals are unable or unwilling to participate due to sensory issues.

Sensory issues often affect individuals on the autism spectrum, who may have difficulty processing their senses, such as sight, sound, touch, smell, and taste. These senses can become overstimulating, leading to emotional, behavioural, motor, and information-processing challenges.

This can manifest in various ways, such as sudden mood swings, tantrums, feelings of being overwhelmed, an inability to sit still, or difficulty recognizing social cues, among others.

Because of these challenges, many families with children on the spectrum struggle to enjoy events the same way other families can.

One of the most important aspects of caring for a child with sensory issues is providing a supportive and understanding environment. Unfortunately, it’s nearly impossible to control circumstances outside the home.

“Sensory-friendly events provide a safe and welcoming space for my family – as well as many other families in the community,” said Ashleen Massicotte, office manager at Pacific Autism Family Network.

“We can experience the joy of community and connection in a space that meets our child’s unique sensory needs. These events help foster inclusion, reduce stress, and allow for meaningful participation in activities that would otherwise be inaccessible for us.”

Thankfully, Prince George is home to many events that set aside specific times for individuals with sensory issues and their families to enjoy experiences many take for granted.

For a town the size of Prince George, the number of businesses and organizations offering sensory-safe services is surprising.

A recent example is the sensory-friendly public skate offered by the City of Prince George on Feb. 16. It featured softer music and lighting, with basic skating instruction available for those interested.

Another notable example is the Prince George Aquatic Centre, which hosts a sensory-friendly swim from 2:30 to 3:30 p.m. every weekday. The program, which began five months ago, ensures noise levels are kept low, and the environment is calmer than a regular swim session.

Theatre Northwest also provides sensory-safe environments with its relaxed performances.

“Our artistic producer, Marnie Hamigami, began the program,” said Theatre Northwest’s accessibility co-ordinator, Heidi Klepsch.

“She wanted to make Theatre Northwest more accessible for all kinds of people. She also had a personal connection to things that are accessible to autistic people because her son is on the spectrum. She’s very personally motivated to try and make our theatre and other aspects of our city more inclusive and accessible for people with sensory-processing conditions such as autism.”

Klepsch told The Citizen that these unique performances have been very popular with locals.

“Our relaxed shows tend to sell out now or come close to selling out,” said Klepsch. “Which is such a lovely thing because it means people know about them and are interested. They love them and keep coming back. We see many of the same faces return for every single performance. We have such a loyal group of patrons… the tickets go quickly, and we sold out two of our relaxed performances last season, which made me so happy.”

The theatre is especially noteworthy for its attention to detail in mitigating overstimulation. For instance, the lights stay on during performances, loud or harsh noises are minimized, and theatregoers are allowed to move or make noise. There is even a pre-show introduction.

Pre-show introductions give audiences a brief explanation of the show’s themes, content warnings, actor introductions that explain character motivations, and demonstrations of any loud props or effects that may be used.

This pre-show introduction is especially important for individuals on the spectrum, particularly children, who may have heightened emotions regarding what they see on stage compared to neurotypical viewers.

When the show ends, actors reintroduce themselves to the audience, often reassuring viewers that despite any harm or mishaps that may have occurred on stage, the characters remain unaffected.

“The point of this is to differentiate reality from the world of the play,” said Klepsch. “A lot of people who come to our relaxed performances have trouble making that distinction. They might become really immersed in the play and think that something happening on stage is real life. I could understand how that would be really distressing — like if a character gets murdered and they think it’s truly happening in front of them. That would be tremendously upsetting.”

Even better, tickets for relaxed performances are only $10.50, and caregivers and parents get in free.

Pacific Autism Family Network (PAFN) provides some of these events to families, including Halloween and Christmas parties, movie screenings, weekly park visits in the summer, and drop-in playtimes.

Massicotte told The Citizen that one of the advantages of sensory-safe events is a sense of understanding.

“It’s important just to be in a space where everyone there gets it,” said Massicotte. “There’s no judgment or anything like that. If we’re at the movie theatre and my kid gets excited and starts screaming, or sometimes hums when he’s excited, it’s not something we have to worry about at a sensory-friendly movie. Everyone’s kids understand.”

One person who constantly recommends PAFN events is Kristen McBurnie. She has raised two children on the spectrum and is the leader of the Northern chapter of the Ingirls Club, a group that specializes in providing inclusive spaces for girls with neurological and developmental differences.

McBurnie will soon be awarded King Charles III’s Coronation Medal for her work in the community.

McBurnie has witnessed families come together at these events and notes that, without these programs, the development of children on the spectrum can be hampered.

“I often see kids come to school once they hit kindergarten age, and because of their high needs, they haven’t experienced anything outside of their own home,” said McBurnie. “The fact that PAFN is doing this now is huge. I’ve noticed there are more and more activities every year. Before, it was maybe one or two times a year. Now, it’s almost every month. It’s amazing.”

McBurnie wishes there had been more opportunities for sensory-safe events and activities when her children were younger and sees constant benefits for the children she works with.

“I wish there had been opportunities like this when my kids were young,” said McBurnie. “We were one of those families who didn’t go to a lot of places because there weren’t many places where we felt accepted. You’d go somewhere and it felt like everyone was staring at you. That’s the great thing about these community events. You go there, and you don’t have to worry about that judgment as a parent. You don’t have to worry about your kid feeling judged because you know these activities are designed with your kid in mind.”