By New York Post (U.S.) | Created at 2024-12-29 16:35:27 | Updated at 2025-01-01 15:33:34
2 days ago
Like an oasis in the desert, a refuge from the mania of New Year’s Eve is coming to Times Square.
A “Sensory Activation Vehicle” (SAV) — outfitted with calming tools and noise-canceling headphones — will be stationed outside the ball drop for the first time this year so that neurodivergent guests can enjoy the “controlled chaos” of the annual mayhem.
“[We’re] creating the best environment for somebody with sensory needs to experience Times Square’s New Year’s Eve, because it is a once-in-a-lifetime experience, and why shouldn’t someone who has sensory needs be able to experience it?” Regina Fojas, the Times Square Alliance chief of staff, told The Post.
The SAV will be open to those struggling with autism, dementia, PTSD and other conditions that typically make participating in a boisterous event like the Times Square ball drop impossible.
The 20-foot by 8-foot van will have dimmed lighting and bubbled walls to muffle the outside noise, as well as a plethora of calming items like bean bags, activity panels and more.
Sensory bags filled with fidget spinners, noise-canceling headphones, strobe reduction glasses and verbal cue cards will also be up for grabs.
The van will be stationed inside the Inclusive Viewing Area, which for years has offered ADA-compliant services like wheelchair space and ASL translators to those who need them. There will also be a team of expert volunteers ready to help identify those who might be struggling with the abrasive environment.
Guests will be allowed to access the SAV on a rotating basis — and as needed.
According to Fojas, there has already been overwhelming excitement from the neurodiverse community over the accessibility expansion — which is something many families have been asking about for years.
“In the beginning, I felt like, ‘Aren’t you setting up your family member for failure to bring them to one of the most public, most loud, flashing lights type of event?'” Fojas recalled. “And they said, ‘No, they really want to do it, but we want to try to do it in a way where they can enjoy it.'”
“It’s not that they want to protect them and keep them in a bubble. They want them to experience all these different events and holidays in the best way possible. And, so why not?”
The mission was also inspired by Times Square’s very own Broadway.
Earlier this year, Times Square Alliance President Tom Harris enjoyed the play “How to Dance in Ohio,” which focuses on a group of autistic young adults preparing to attend a Spring Formal dance. To honor the show’s mission, the Belasco Theatre told the crowd they could find refuge in a nearby sensory room if the commotion from the stage became too overwhelming.
“I thought, ‘Wow, this is really nice!'” Harris explained. “People with neurodiverse family members have a lot of challenges and if we can make it more accessible, then let’s do it.”
“I would describe New Year’s Eve as controlled chaos — people there, they’re loud, they’re having a good time. Thanks to the New York City Police Department, it’s a safe event, but some people who are neurodivergent might become overwhelmed, and that’s why this would be a nice addition.”
KultureCity, a non-profit aimed at expanding accessibility for those with sensory needs, generously donated the SAV for this year’s festivities.
If the van is a hit — which Fojas expects it to be — the Times Square Alliance will bring it back for years to come, a move they plan to finance through fundraising.
There will be limited space in the SAV, so those interested in utilizing the new amenity are asked to contact the Times Square Alliance ahead of the festivities.
