After talking more with the school district and having a playground meeting this week, here is the approach we are proposing for the coming months to move forward with playground improvements:
- Immediate improvements. Move forward with benches, planters, and a rain barrel at the portable to provide a more pleasant seating area and a bit more green on the playground for students and our community. Here is a photo of the proposed location.
- Irrigation. Hire a consultant to advise on water/irrigation solutions and sustainable choices for any grass, trees and plants in the playground.
- Southwest corner/field.
- Survey our school community to come up with a draft design specifically for the southwest corner of the playground (our current field), keeping within the general spirit of our 2006 site master plan. Keep an eye out for the survey within the week, have your students participate, and make your voices heard!
- Present our draft design to the broader community in January 2017 for feedback.
- Contract a landscape architect for professional drawings, construction documents and budget.
- According to design complexity and budget, determine timeline and funding strategy for implementation in 2017-2018.
- Smaller play structure in northeast corner. Consider including ADA access to the play structure in any improvements next year, in preparation for replacement of the play structure in 3-5 years.
The next playground meeting, to be held before the winter break, will be scheduled and posted within the next few days. Join us!
A green schoolyard for Gatewood Elementary 