Photo by Birmingham Zoo
The Birmingham Zoo is becoming even more fun for kids of all ages and abilities with a new Sensory Room addition! KultureCity®, the world’s leading nonprofit focused on helping individuals with sensory needs and invisible disabilities, is now partnering with the Birmingham Zoo to build out a permanent Sensory Room in honor of Libby Hagan. The zoo has long been supportive of KultureCity, implementing comprehensive sensory features across the property’s many family attractions. GET WILD ABOUT THE NEW KULTURECITY SENSORY ROOM AT THE ZOO
The new Sensory Room provides a safe space for kids with sensory processing challenges and their families to reset, rest, and recharge during their visit to the zoo, with soft lighting, calming visuals, sensory tools, and interactive elements. National Autism Resources explains that sensory rooms are critical to “manage overstimulation and stress or to provide sensory integration therapy,” because “too much stimulation can further escalate problem behaviors.” The room has been designed by KultureCity’s gold-standard sensory inclusion guidelines and honors Libby Hagan. Libby suffered an injury at 12 days old in the NICU that forever impacted her and her family and inspired the creation of Libby’s Friends. After living with joy and a sense of adventure, Libby passed away on May 13, 2025, just one month short of her 11th birthday.
“This sensory room is more than a physical space,” shares KultureCity leadership. “It is a place of dignity, understanding, and belonging. Libby’s life reminds us that every child deserves access to joy and adventure—whether at school, in their community, or at the zoo.”
For more information about KultureCity’s sensory inclusion initiatives, visit kulturecity.org. To purchase tickets to the zoo, visit birminghamzoo.com.
HOOVER CREATING CAREER PATHWAYS IN CONSTRUCTION The Central Alabama Home Building Academy is a new workforce development in Hoover that offers a free training course to eligible participants age 17 and older. The program will teach the participants construction trades like plumbing, HVAC, electrical work, and more. The residential trade program will use a new $20 fee from residential building permits to fund the training, modeled after a successful initiative in Huntsville. The aim is to increase the number of knowledgeable trade workers, which will lead to better affordability in the long-run and open doors to meaningful career paths for the next generation. Read the minutes of the Hoover City Council meeting where they approved it on hooveralabama.gov.
Photo by V Ruff Crew
LOCAL PUP & TRAINER HEAD TO THE WORLD AGILITY OPEN This May, Vestavia Hills’ own Viveka Rosenberger and her Shetland Sheepdog, Monty, will represent the US at the World Agility Open (WAO) 2026 in Ermelo, Netherlands. The competition will be held May 13–17 and will feature “the highest level of agility training, human/canine partnership, and athleticism,” according to worldagilityopen.com. The dog agility competition will require speed, efficiency, and consistency. Viveka and Monty have already placed in several prestigious competitions, including the AKC Premier Cup in Ocala, FL, and another in Tulsa, OK. A mother of four, Viveka also manages her business V Ruff Crew LLC alongside her husband Parker, teaching dog agility to over 40 students across Alabama, and competing internationally. “She continues to be an inspiration to young mothers across the country and within the agility community, demonstrating that it is possible to be a devoted mother while also chasing your dreams,” the V Ruff Crew website states. Viveka’s dedication is paying off—be sure to watch her and Monty compete soon! Learn more on vruffcrew.com.
BIRMINGHAMPARENT.COM | APRIL 2026 11
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