Oasis for families of children with autism planned for Greater Victoria

A family of Canadian citizens living in Australia are currently planning a massive project for Greater Victoria that will change lives for families of children with autism. 

Originally from South Africa, Andrew and Lee Winchester were living in Canada when they had their son Gray. 

Now age four, Gray was diagnosed with pathological demand avoidance (PDA) autism when he was around one-and-a-half or two. This diagnosis presented Andrew and Lee with some challenges, despite their unconditional love for their child. 

“He’s the best kid under the sun,” Andrew told Victoria Buzz. 

“He likes water and nature, but he has extreme social anxiety, like, he cannot tolerate people, or strangers. Even me talking on the phone is an impossible situation.”

He added that any expectation or demand that is put on Gray completely sets his nervous system into a fight or flight response.

“Anything, just a simple demand—demands that we would not even consider as demands—sometimes just any typical conversation can come off as a demand,” he explained. 

“Particularly demands like, ‘can you do this,’ or ‘come here.’ It shuts his nervous system down.”

Through raising Gray and facing some of these challenges, Andrew and Lee came to realize that there is not enough infrastructure around for kids like Gray and their families. 

Specifically, it is incredibly difficult for them, and families like theirs, to be able to get away for vacation, or simply take a day off in nature in a place where they won’t de disturbed. 

This was the inspiration for Project Goldilocks. 

“Gray is at the heart of it,” said Andrew. “We’re using his perspective to basically create this project where children like him, not necessarily who have PDA, but from the neurodivergent point-of-view.”

They are seeking to create a place for Gray, and kids like him, that doesn’t feel like it exists in the world—let alone Vancouver Island—but should exist. 

Safety is at the forefront of this project, as is bringing about a calm atmosphere and having complete privacy.

“For most families, they don’t have to worry about people watching them, they don’t have to worry about their child having a meltdown when meeting social contacts,” said Andrew.  

Andrew says that the plan has always been to bring Project Goldilocks to fruition in Greater Victoria. 

Currently, he is working hard from Australia to find a space that would be suitable for the project, and has decided that somewhere remote that lies somewhere between Saanich and Sooke would be ideal. 

The Winchesters still have around six months left in Australia before they make the move to Vancouver Island and can begin building out their dream. 

The vision for Project Goldilocks

Project Goldilocks will be established in two phases initially that will see the property transformed into a private remote nature sanctuary.

“Anything between five to 10 acres, with hopefully, mature old trees on it and natural bush or forest on it,” Andrew explained. 

“But we will obviously add to it through a process of rewilding if need-be.”

He noted that the property will be fully fenced, and designed to prevent elopement—particularly important when individuals with autism or cognitive impairments are being considered, as this design seeks to avoid footholds and eliminate climbing leverage. 

The initial phase will also see a multi-use platform built on the property. The idea is to build a space inspired by fresco living—a concept derived from the Italian phrase for “in the fresh air.” 

“Basically, it’s bringing the indoors out, or the outdoors in,” he explained.  

“So basically, the multi-use platform will be an outdoor pavilion, which can be fully-enclosed or semi-enclosed, depending on the season, and can be used year-round.”

Andrew says this initial phase will be designed with neurodivergent kids in mind, but will also be available for the public to utilize, so they can start to garner revenue for phase two of the project. 

“It will be divided into morning and afternoon sessions,” he continued. “Morning sessions will be for families like ours. There will be three time slots at an hour and twenty minutes each—fully private.”

“The afternoon sessions will be used for wellness therapists, work from nature, work from home people, people who need a studio for art or yoga and for small private corporate events.”

Ultimately, he hopes this initial phase will provide a new space for community members to connect with nature. 

The second phase will take the concept further, by providing an oasis for families of kids with autism to be able to vacation. 

In a different part of the sanctuary, he will build a cabin, with privacy in mind as the key focus. 

“People using the multi-use platform will never see the person using the cabin—they’ll never cross paths.”

Andrew hopes that once a plot of land is secured, phase one of Project Goldilocks will be up and running by mid- to late-2027, and that phase two will be ready by the end of 2028. 

Currently, he and his wife are hoping to work alongside AutismBC and other alike organizations to navigate what that community needs from a project such as theirs. 

The Winchesters are also seeking external funding and investors, trying to navigate if there are options available to them that could help speed up the process. 

Much of the project will be self-funded. 

Find more information on the project via their website.