Carrollton Now has Six Certified Sensory Inclusive Facilities

The City of Carrollton has partnered with KultureCity^® to make six of Carrollton’s facilities Sensory Inclusive™. This new certification will expand Carrollton’s adaptive offerings and promote an accommodating and positive experience for all guests with a sensory need, no matter their age or ability.

Four of the locations are the first Parks & Recreation facilities in Texas to be certified Sensory Inclusive™, including the Crosby Recreation Center (1610 E. Crosby Road), the Rosemeade Recreation Center (1330 E. Rosemeade Parkway), the Carrollton Senior Center (1720 Keller Spring Road), and the A.W. Perry Homestead Museum (1509 N. Perry Road). The other two locations are Carrollton’s Hebron & Josey Library (4220 Hebron Parkway) and Josey Ranch Lake Library (1700 Keller Springs Road).

The certification process ensures the staff at each facility are trained annually by leading medical professionals on how to recognize guests with sensory needs and how to handle a sensory overload situation. KultureCity^® Sensory Bags, equipped with noise-cancelling headphones (provided by Puro^® Sound Labs), fidget tools, verbal cue cards, and KultureCity^® VIP lanyards will be available for checkout at no cost for families or individual guests at the facility who may feel overwhelmed by the new environment. In addition to the sensory bags, each facility also has a weighted lap pad for checkout.

Each of the six facilities will display signs throughout the building indicating Quiet Areas that are non-busy, consistently quiet locations in the facility where an individual can decompress if they become overwhelmed. Designated Headphone Zone areas are louder than other parts of the facility where an individual might want to put on the noise-cancelling headphones included in the sensory bag. 

Prior to visiting, families and individuals can download the free KultureCity^® app to view the sensory features available and where they can access them at each location, including where to check out a KultureCity^® Sensory Bag or a lap pad, and where to find a Quiet Area or a Headphone Zone. Also, on the app is the Social Story which will provide a customized visual preview of what to expect while enjoying a visit at each location.

KultureCity^® is a leading non-profit recognized nationwide for using its resources to revolutionize and effect change in the community for those with sensory needs, not just those with autism. Since the program’s inception, KultureCity^® has created over 1,000 sensory-inclusive public and private services, organizations, events, and venues in six countries including special events such as the NFL Pro-Bowl, NFL Super Bowl, MLB World Series, and MLB All-Star Weekend.

For more information about the City’s adaptive programming offerings, visit cityofcarrollton.com/adaptive, check out the latest edition of Leisure Connections magazine at cityofcarrollton.com/leisuremag, or pick up a magazine at City facilities.