The Irie Smial Preserve is set on wooded acreage in Texas Hill Country. Breezes sweep grassy hills dominated by heavy-limbed live oak trees. Spring erupts in vibrant seas of wildflowers that change color as each species gives stage to the next. It’s a pastoral setting with plenty of room for clapping, flapping, and stimming freely.

Transportation

There is no public transport to the venue.

Ride shares don’t always come out here.

A minivan with a portable wheelchair lift is available for shuttling.

Parking

There is a gate on the driveway. The codeCode has been my life, and it has been your life, too. It is time to understand how it all works. What is Code? What is Code? is great interactive… More is 1234. Don’t let the dogs out.

There is ample parking. Some of it is on grass.

Parking spots are unmarked.

There is room directly in front of the venue for loading and unloading wheelchairs.

Parking spots have plenty of room for wheelchair loading and unloading through the back or side of cars.

Doors, Entrances

All doors are 36″.

The front porch has two steps totaling 12″ high with a 6′ long ramp over them.

A 6′ ramp for a 12″ rise meets residential code in the USA, but not commercial code. You can feel the extra steepness of residential versus commercial code in your core muscles as you ascend a ramp steeper than the recommended 1:12 slope.

Ramp runs shall have a running slope not steeper than 1:12.

405.2 Slope: ADA Accessibility Standards (enhanced single file version)

Seating

• 4 adjustable task chairs
• Three couches with four seats each
• Adirondack style plastic chairs are spread around the various patios
• A patio table with 6 chairs
• 3 bar stools at the kitchen counter
• 4 dining chairs at the kitchen table

Surfaces

Kitchen countertops are bar height and not wheelchair friendly.

Tray tables adjusted to wheelchair height and easily pulled toward you are available.

Two coffee tables and multiple end tables provide surfaces next to the couches.

Sensory

All lights are on dimmers.

There is no fluorescent lighting. All bulbs are dimmable warm white LEDs.

No perfumes or air fresheners are used.

Air purifiers with carbon filtration capture smells.

The downstairs bathroom is a low stimulation quiet space.

Foam ear plugs are available.

Quiet rooms for de-stressing are available.

Allergens

Two dogs and a cat live here.

Air

CO2 levels are 500 – 950.

There are five HEPA air purifiers in the house.

Windows have air exchangers on them for exhausting stale air and bringing in fresh air.

N95 masksMasking is exhausting. Utterly utterly draining. I’ve had people say to me many times over the years “But WHY are you so tired? What have you been doing?” and I’ve… More are available.

Bathrooms

The downstairs bathroom has a 36″ door and is wheelchair accessible.

There is room to directly pull a wheelchair up to the sink and countertop instead of having to park sideways.

The door out swings.

The shower is not fully curbless, but has a low profile curb and room for a wheelchair transfer.

The shower has a shower chair.

Shower controls are at seated height.

Lights turn on automatically to 40% brightness. A dimmer switch provides control.

The faucet is motion activated.

Food

A fully equipped residential kitchen can cater to most needs. Folks with vegetarian, gluten-free, and dairy-free diets live here. Hypersensory autisticAutistic ways of being are human neurological variants that can not be understood without the social model of disability.If you are wondering whether you are Autistic, spend time amongst Autistic people, online and offline.  If… More people with food sensitivities live here. Your allergies, restrictions, and preferences will be taken seriously and respected.

Access to the Outdoors

A covered porch provides immediate access to the outdoors in all weather. There are never more than two doors between you and the outside, and they are all 36″.

Three fenced acres provide safe room to stimSelf-stimulatory behavior, also known as stimming and self-stimulation, is the repetition of physical movements, sounds, or words, or the repetitive movement of objects Stimming – Wikipedia Autistic adults highlighted the importance of stimming as… More and playThere is nothing more human than play. Humans were designed to learn in play. In fact, nearly all mammals evolved this way.Play’s Power At our learning space, we provide learners fresh… More.

Caves, Campfires, and Watering Holes

Cave, campfire, and watering hole zones are available.

There are three lockable quiet spaces for use as caves. One is upstairs. All three have beds.

Breakout rooms are available for campfires.

The play room/family room/game room is available as a watering holeFuturist David Thornburg identifies three archetypal learning spaces— the campfire, cave, and watering hole—that schools can use as physical spaces and virtual spaces for student and adult learning (bit.ly/YvRuWC)Australia’s Campfires,… More.

The porches and patios are available for breakout session campfires and watering hole gatherings.

Mobility Aids

A rollator and a manual wheelchair are available.

Service Animals

Service animals are welcome and respected.

Assistance

Experienced careThe activities that constitute care are crucial for human life. We defined care in this way: Care is “a species activity that includes everything that we do to maintain, continue,… More workers are available to help.

Amenities

Pool and Patio

Wheelchair access to the backyard where the pool and patio are located is via a stone path and a sidewalk with a transition.

There is a sharp right turn to make around the column to get to the backyard. This can be awkward in a wheelchair.

The pool is above ground and not particularly accessible.

Disc Golf

The disc golf course is all natural surface that is mostly wheelchair navigable, with some rough areas that are a challenge for wheelchair users.