reating playgrounds that reflect the unique culture of each school means thinking about the surround- ing community, too. The renovated schoolyards are open to the public after school hours, over the week-
end, and during holidays—so Trust for Public Land staff attend PTA events and hold public meetings to gather input from locals who’ll use the space when classes aren’t in session. For their part, the student designers take their responsibil-
ity to their neighbors seriously. “They understand it’s a com- munity project,” says Joan Keener, “that it’s not just for them.” They map and compare which portions of the schoolyard are most inviting to different user groups, from younger siblings to residents in the nursing home nearby. They discuss how de- sign choices like accessibility features and the languages used on signage can affect who feels welcome in the space. A focus on inclusiveness and equity anchors not only the
content of the design curriculum, but the process of choosing which schoolyards get renovated in the first place. “From the beginning, we’ve looked for the areas that are
most in need of a safe place to play,” says The Trust for Public Land’s Mary Alice Lee. As the program director, she works with the organization’s GIS mapping team to identify can- didate schools. Using data from government agencies, they pinpoint low– to moderate-income neighborhoods, short on
p parks, with a large student body and a half acre or more of undeveloped, underutilized outdoor space. A more recent factor in site selection is environmental.
“The kids understand s a community project, that it’s not just for them.”
not just for them. joan keener
Anticipating an uptick in severe weather as an effect of climate change, the city is seeking ways to relieve pressure
The kids understand it’s a community t it
c on its combined stormwater-sewer system—which is prone to overflowing during periods of heavy rain. Compared to storage tanks or other conventional infrastructure, greening school- yards is a cost-efficient option for managing stormwater. By replacing asphalt with more permeable surfaces like gravel, turf, or other greenery, a renovated schoolyard can keep up to 700
7 ,000 gallons of rainwater per year out of sewers. Angela Licata of the city’s Department of Environmental
Protection (DEP) is pragmatic about her agency’s growing involvement with the playgrounds program. “The partner- ship allows New York City a way to improve water quality in
s adjacent waterways while also providing community benefits through play spaces,” she says. “The Trust for Public Land ties it all together.” Of course, the green infrastructure features—whether that’s
rain barrels, flower gardens, or tree groves—have to pass muster with the student designers before they can be included in playground plans. Fortunately for the DEP, it’s rarely a tough sell, especially once kids hear some of the gorier details of how the sewer system works. “Most people, children and adults, have never thought about where water goes when you
o
a flush a toilet or leave a faucet running,” says Lee. “But kids especially are willing to learn.”
epy g especially are willing to learn.
TPL.ORG · 37
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