Sensory friendly skating is coming to Lakeshore's Atlas Tube Recreation Centre next month.
Starting April 3, sensory skating will be offered to those at any age with intellectual, emotional, or development disabilities who may find lights or loud noises overwhelming.
The inspiration for the program came from Shari Fallon, the Director of Events for the Belle River District Minor Hockey Association.
Fallon is the mother of a neurodivergent child and a child with an intellectual disability, and approached the Town to look into beginning the new program.
Frank Jeney, Division Leader of Community Services for Municipality of Lakeshore, says they tried to accommodate everyone.
"Shari Fallon, the Director of Events for the Minor Hockey Club, came up with the idea of offering sensory friendly skates. So from there we looked at our schedules and we were able to find some key dates that offer daytime and evenings to be able to accommodate more skaters."
He says it was important to offer a range of times to ensure anyone, at any age, could attend.
"You could have a young parent with a very young child, you could have a senior citizen and all of the ages in between. You could have people that work shift work, people that work days or evenings, weekends. So we wanted to offer a staggered approach to be able to capture as many people as we could."
Jeney says lights will be dimmed or off, there will be no music, and those attending are asked to whisper.
"The daytime ice the lights will be completely off because we have plenty of windows that would still offer a safe approach. And at the evening, we would have certain rows of lights that would be dimmed right down, but then others that are completely turned off. There wouldn't be any music playing. We would ask those that are joining us to speak at a whisper level."
The sensory skates are free of charge, however those looking to participate are asked to pre-register by calling the Atlas Tube Recreation Centre.
Skate dates are as follows: