Trinity Lutheran Church, Canton, has opened its new TLC Sensory Place multisensory play area in the congregation’s south parking lot. The inaugural phase of TLC Sensory Place is a sensory activity fence that offers a helpful resource for children, autistic people, and people with sensory disorders in Fulton County, and there are already plans to expand the play area in the coming years. The play area is freely accessible to all people at all times, much like a public park. A grand opening event was held on Sunday, June 9, and included sensory toy giveaways sponsored by Birth to Five Illinois, a free taco and nacho bar provided by Rancho Nuevo Mexican Restaurant in Canton (whose owners live next door to TLC Sensory Place), and TV news coverage by WEEK 25 Peoria. Trinity also conducted several “Monday Funday” drop-in events this summer to introduce this new resource to the community.
The Visioning Team at Trinity developed the TLC Sensory Place project in response to the complete lack of in-county providers of pediatric physical or occupational therapy in the statewide early intervention system to help children with special needs in Fulton County, which is located in the historically under-served “Forgottonia” region of the state. This provider shortage requires affected Fulton County families (including that of Trinity’s Pastor Micah Garnett) to make frequent trips to Peoria or beyond during weekday business hours, which can force some parents in the county to decide between maintaining their employment and getting their kids the therapies that will help them thrive in school and social situations.
Construction of the sensory activity fence at TLC Sensory Place was funded by a generous grant from Grace and Peace Lutheran Church, Peoria. The “bespoke installation” contains a wide variety of items donated by Trinity members, including doorknobs, zippers, latches, levers, switches, buttons, bead mazes, and used sensory toys. So far, the highlights of TLC Sensory Place for most kids have been an old telephone and a zig-zag ball run that drops wiffle balls into a laundry basket. Sensory fences/walls are easy to set up and a fun way for congregations to welcome autistic people and people with disabilities. If you want to discuss setting up a sensory fence or wall in your context, you can contact Pastor Micah Garnett at .