Climate Ready Schools

Location

Irma Coulson Public School

Milton, Ontario

Timeline

2020 - 2022

School grounds across Canada provide the opportunity to create vibrant, parklike community hubs, where diverse play and learning opportunities support child development and children and nature thrive.

As Senior Advisor at Evergreen, Cam Collyer co-led the Climate Ready Schools pilot project at Irma Coulson Public School in Milton, Ontario. The project demonstrated national level innovation in school ground design, outdoor play and learning, and climate change adaptation.

Climate Ready Schools was inspired by Berlin's Sponge School Strategy, which focused on nature-based solutions to retain rainwater and manage heat at a city-wide scale.

Designers Birgit Teichmann, internationally renowned for children's playscapes, and Gina Brouwer, accomplished Canadian landscape architect, worked with the school community to redesign a once barren school ground.

The outdoor area was transformed into a rich landscape that provides a variety of play and learning opportunities in an immersive nature setting, while managing stormwater on site and providing cooling shade.

The result is a thriving community space that is climate resilient and accessible with diverse, rich play experiences.

Photo: Cam Collyer

Photo: Cam Collyer

Diverse Play Experiences

Designed with child development in mind, the space is visually inviting, tactile and playful.

Diverse play elements support physical, social and emotional development.

The kindergarten area includes low ropes, horizontal bars, a hill slide, tunnel and rocky outcroppings. These features provide graduated challenges where children can climb, slide and take risks, developing their balance, strength and coordination.
A sand and water play area with a hand powered water pump encourages social play and physical activity.
Multipurpose play decks can be used for play, building and collecting, drama and music, seating or tables.
An outdoor amphitheatre also creates a space for classes to gather for learning activities and to support performances and presentations.

Photo: Cam Collyer

Photo: Cam Collyer

Accessibility

The Irma Coulson project was designed to allow children with varying abilities to play together in the same space.

Accessible pathways throughout the school ground and play areas provide wheelchair access, while low ropes and bars allow for developing coordination and upper body strength.

The hill slide in the embankment includes a series of grab bars and transfer stations as well ramp access, providing options for getting back up to the top of the slide.

Photo: Cam Collyer