Three Charleston County Parks are named Kulture City Certified Sensory Inclusive Venues

(CHARLESTON COUNTY) – The Charleston County Park and Recreation Commission has partnered with Kulture City to make three of their most popular parks Sensory Inclusive. Palmetto Islands County Park in Mount Pleasant, Wannamaker County Park in North Charleston, and James Island County Park have all been deemed as Certified Sensory Inclusive Venues. This new initiative will promote an accommodating and positive experience for all guests with a sensory issue, no matter their age or ability.

The certification process ensures that the staff at these three parks are trained annually by leading medical professionals on how to recognize those guests with sensory needs and how to handle a sensory overload situation. Kulture City Sensory Bags, equipped with noise-canceling headphones, fidget tools, verbal cue cards, and lanyards will be available to guests of the park who may feel overwhelmed by this new environment.

Sensory sensitivities or challenges with sensory regulation are often experienced by individuals with autism, dementia, PTSD and other similar conditions. One of the major barriers for these individuals is sensitivity to overstimulation and noise. While the conditions leading to overstimulation are not extremely common in parks, they can occur during certain situations such as large events. With its new certification, staff at Palmetto Islands, Wannamaker County Park and James Island County Park are now better prepared to assist guests with sensory sensitivities in having the most comfortable and accommodating experience possible.

Prior to their visit, families and individuals can download the free Kulture City app, where one can view what sensory features are available and where they can access them including, Quiet Areas, where to get a Kulture City Sensory Bag, where the Headphone Zones are etc. Also, on the app is the Social Story which will provide a customized visual preview of what to expect while enjoying a visit to the three parks.

Park patrons can also visit pages on the Kulture City website that details what to expect at each park. Links to each page are: Palmetto Islands: https://venue.kulturecity.org/venues/palmetto-islands-county-park, Wannamaker: https://venue.kulturecity.org/venues/wannamaker-county-park, and James Island: https://venue.kulturecity.org/venues/james-island-county-park.

According to their website, Kulture City is the nation’s leading nonprofit on sensory accessibility and acceptance for those with invisible disabilities. For more information on Kulture City, visit https://www.kulturecity.org.

The Charleston County Park and Recreation Commission (CCPRC) is committed to creating and promoting inclusion for individuals of all abilities. CCPRC also offers Inclusive Recreation events and programs throughout the year including the Inclusive Silent Disco, Inclusive Swim Nights at the waterparks, Wheel to Surf Adaptive Surfing, the Inclusive Prom, the Holiday Hoedown and the Inclusive Superhero Dance Party. To learn more about accessibility efforts at Charleston County Parks, visit the Accessibility page of our website: https://ccprc.com/1482/Accessibility-ADA-Compliance.

For more information on this and other programs offered by Charleston County Park & Recreation Commission, visit CharlestonCountyParks.com or call 843-795-4386.

The mission of the Charleston County Park and Recreation Commission (CCPRC) is to improve the quality of life in Charleston County by offering a diverse system of park facilities, programs and services. The large park system features over 11,000 acres of property and includes six regional parks, three beach parks, four seasonally-lifeguarded beach areas, three dog parks, two landmark fishing piers, three waterparks, a historic plantation site, a skate park, an aquatic center, 19 boat landings, a climbing wall, a challenge course, an interpretive center, an equestrian center, cottages, a campground, a marina, as well as wedding, meeting and event facilities.The park system also offers a wide variety of recreational services – festivals, camps, classes, programs, and more. For more information, call 843-795-4386 or visit CharlestonCountyParks.com.