Southcentre Mall hosted a special holiday event on Sunday morning to ensure families of children with special needs had an opportunity to celebrate.
The third annual ‘A Special Time for Halloween’, a free event organized by the mall and Autism Calgary, saw the lights dimmed and the music turned off to help calm young trick-or-treaters who have autism, Asperger’s, Cerebral Palsy, ADHD or mobility concerns.
“My son has autism among other issues and this is absolutely wonderful for him,” said Julie Thibaud. “He’s able to run around the mall and not be overstimulated and just be a kid again.”
The event for children between the ages of two and 12 who pre-register is held prior to the opening of the mall.
In December, Southcentre Mall hosts a similar event where children on the autism spectrum can visit with Santa Claus without the bright lights and loud music that are normally present in the Enchanted Forest.
With files from CTV's Kevin Green
