SCHOOL PLAY YARD INITIATIVE MASTER PLAN

Transcription

1 SCHOOL PLAY YARD INITIATIVE MASTER PLAN Montrose School District RE-1J Spring 2013

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3 Table of Contents section 1 Introduction Montrose District RE-1J Background Intent & Process Active Schoolyards Background section 2 School Background Existing Conditions Playground Assessment section 3 section 4 Task Force Vision, Goals, Wish List Ordering System Collage Process Graphics Master Plan & Description Preliminary Opinion of Costs Funding Resources Resources & Acknowledgements 3

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5 Section One Executive Summary Introduction Montrose County School District RE-1J Background Master Plan Intent and Process Recommendations Active Schoolyards Background 5

6 Introduction Improving Schoolyards Schoolyards offer one of the most accessible recreaon opportunies for youth, both during school hours and aer school. Oen schoolyards are the only outdoor recreaon feature in a neighborhood that is a short distance from home and offers daily opportunies for physical acvies for both youth and adults. Studies show that a well-planned and equipped schoolyard increases physical acvity while also enhancing the learning environment, thus resulng in improved school achievement. Such play areas provide physical and mental challenges that translate into improved aenon in the classroom. With proper design, schoolyards themselves become outdoor classrooms and provide educaon about nature. Students can learn about nave plants, geology, navigaon, geography, astronomy and more, from wellplanned schoolyards. Schoolyards can also fulfill a secondary goal for many schools, that is to become a posive focal point of the neighborhood, a place to gather and to socialize, a place that enhances the community s appearance and a place of pride for both children and adults. Many schoolyards are now including gardens in their design, which provides children and adults with opportunies for social interacon, moderate physical acvity and improved diets with an increase of fresh vegetables grown in the garden. Improving schoolyards is a proacve way to benefit health at the community level. The surge in childhood obesity in recent years threatens the future health of Colorado. According to the Colorado Health Report Card, published by the Colorado health Foundaon, Colorado ranks 23 rd among the states in the category of childhood obesity, dropping in rank from 3 rd to 23 rd in just four years. The current ranking signals a rapid increase in the prevalence of childhood obesity that negavely impacts the overall health and well-being of Colorado s children. Prevenng and combang the 6

7 Introduction childhood obesity epidemic will require a mul-faceted approach. It means changing behaviors around food intake, physical acvity and our residenal community. It means addressing the environment in schools and rethinking our culture to emphasize good health, says James O. Hill, Professor of Pediatrics and Medicine at the University of Colorado School of Medicine. The Acve Schoolyards Iniave at the Colorado Center for Community Development (CCCD) in the College of Architecture and Planning (CAP) at the University of Colorado Denver seeks to strengthen schools and their surrounding neighborhoods by designing playgrounds that promote physical acvity and posive social interacon for children and adults. With over 200 schoolyard designs completed and half of them now built, children are now provided with places for outdoor play and learning. About Great Outdoors Colorado In early 2013, Great Outdoors Colorado (GOCO) announced their School Play Yard Iniave. As part of GOCO s ongoing commitment to improving health and wellness for Colorado s youth and families, the GOCO Board allocated $750,000 for this iniave. GOCO s Board recognizes the crical need to provide accessible outdoor recreaon opportunies for youth, as there is a growing disconnect between youth and the natural world. This disconnect is contribung to various issues impacng youth. One of the causes contribung to this disconnect is the lack of accessible natural areas, making schoolyards with natural play features an important locaon to provide these experiences. GOCO s Board also recognizes the risks associated with the lack of physical acvity. Colorado s rate of childhood obesity is rising at the second fastest rate in the naon, according to the Naonal Survey of Children s Health. Providing recreaonal amenies on school grounds that are safe, age appropriate, ADA-accessible, and enjoyable is a valuable way to remove the barriers to physical acvity and promote healthier lifestyles for youth that will hopefully connue on to adulthood. Through the School Play Yard Iniave, children in rural and urban communies across Colorado will benefit from the construcon of new schoolyards. The applicaon process mandates that school children direct the schoolyard designs by priorizing the components they want to see in their schoolyard. This student-led process will enable children to take ownership of their schoolyards and ensure that they meet the recreaonal needs and desires of these students. The process also teaches children important lessons in civic engagement that can be applied to other acvies at the school and in the community. Important components of the GOCO School Play Yard Iniave include the following: School Play Yard projects must be proposed through a partnership between a local government and a school or school district, as local governments are the only enes eligible to apply for GOCO Local Government Grants per the Constuonal Amendment that created GOCO. The purpose of this iniave is to provide children with places for unstructured play and outdoor learning. Parks with natural playscapes are becoming increasingly popular among youth. GOCO will require that students are offered an opportunity to consider a natural playscape as part of the project design process. Any project that receives a GOCO grant must be open to the public when school is not in session. While this iniave specifically targets schoolyards, construcon of school-based recreaon and environmental educaon projects are eligible for funding via GOCO s Local Government Grant cycles, offered twice annually. Similarly, planning and design of school-based recreaon and environmental educaon projects are eligible for funding via GOCO s Planning Grant cycles, also offered twice annually. 7

8 District Background Montrose School District RE-1J Montrose School District RE-1J is the 28 th largest out of 183 districts in Colorado, with 6,183 students and employing a total of 750 faculty and staff. The district has 15 instruconal site: two early childhood centers, six elementary schools, three middle schools, two high schools and two alternave charter high schools. Montrose School District RE-1J is led by a seven-member Board of Directors. The goals for the district are: White 58% 2012 Montrose County RE-1J District Demographics Black 1% Asian 1% Mixed Race 2% Nave Hawaiian or Pac. Islander 1% 0% Hispanic 38% Parks Division maintains 26 developed parks containing 118 acres of open space and over 24 miles of paved trails ( org). The City of Montrose published a comprehensive plan in 2008 which outlines some goals for the city to address in the coming years. Principle #8 in the list of guiding principles describes a goal to provide public services and facilies necessary for health, safety and welfare (City of Montrose, 2008). Included within this secon is a descripon of the role of the Montrose School District in relaon to this principle. The city expresses a need for school facilies within the district to expand in ancipaon of increased enrollment due to populaon growth (from 2003 to 2007 there was a significant growth in enrollment - an increase of 584 students (10.4%)). The plan also calls for expansion of parks and open spaces to account for populaon growth. 8 We will strive to provide a high quality of public educaon, which meets the needs of our community. We believe that the success of Montrose County School District RE-1J depends on a shared vision among the school board, staff, parents, and community, and we will try to the best of our ability to uphold these aspiraons (montrosesd. schoolfusion.us) Montrose School District RE-1J is representave of many cultures. The largest racial demographic groups are White (57.9%), and Hispanic (38.2%), with addional representaon from Asian, Black, American Indian and mixed-race students. San Juan Mountain Range ( Total Enrollment: 6, % American Indian/Alaskan Nave 0.5% Asian 0.5% Black 38.2% Hispanic 57.9% White 0.1% Nave Hawaiian/Pacific Islander 2.4% Two or more Wellness Montrose is the most populous city and the county seat of Montrose County. A major agricultural hub for Western Colorado, it is located in the ferle Uncompahgre Valley between the San Juan Mountains and the Umcompahgre Plateau. Its cizens foster rural values and an appreciaon for the outdoors. Quality of life is our commitment is the city s moo, and the city s Parks Division offers a range of acvies for residents of all ages that seek to preserve and enhance the quality of life and environment in Montrose, CO. The Northside Elementary School PM Montrose s Park System (gis.cityofmontrose.org/publicmap/)

9 District Background In order to account for this growth, new land acquision is the main opon. Another opon, as suggested in secon 9 of the city s Comprehensive Plan, is that neighborhood parks (typically at least 2 acres in size) should be adjacent to and/or combined with an elementary school whenever possible. The combinaon of facilies for educaon and park use is a main goal of the School Play Yard Iniave Master Plan for, and aligns cohesively with the principles set by the 2008 Comprehensive Master Plan. Intent of the School Play Yard Iniave Master Plan The master plans for each school are intended to serve as a roadmap for developing strategies and taccs needed to create inving, safe and acve play areas. The goal is to increase acvity and improve the health of students and surrounding community members. The purpose of the master plan is for the selected school from the Montrose School District RE-1J to be strategically poised to capture opportunies to improve and expand outdoor/play areas as funding becomes available. The master plan is intended to be used as a tool for the staff, parents, and district administraon to seek funding for future schoolyard renovaons and wellness iniaves. A master plan is a wrien report and plan that sets forth the structure for future campus improvements. Each school has a vision that speaks to the desires of the school and surrounding community. The vision is further delineated into goals that idenfy the major components for implementaon. These goals are defined through the use of text and imagery. A programmac list of uses is also developed. Lastly, the master plan sets forth the aesthec ordering system suggested for use during the design phase to organize the programmac uses. This plan will provide a framework for fund raising and future construcon. Planning Process The master plan process took place from January to February 2013 and involved input at the city level, district level and the individual school level. At the district level, the collaborave process was guided by the Communicaons & Special Projects Coordinator and school students, faculty and staff who formed the task force. Colorado Center for Community (CCCD) staff consulted with the task force members to ensure the individual school master plan aligned with GOCO s mission and the overall vision for the District. The team also discussed strategies for phasing, sustainable maintenance and funding for implementaon. At the school level the collaborave process was guided by the school s task force and facilitated by CCCD staff. The commiee was comprised of the principal, staff, parents, and community members. The team members helped to idenfy issues with the exisng site and form a vision and goals to guide the planning process. The team also helped to gather informaon and feedback from people outside the commiee, provide feedback on iteraons of the plan, administer photo surveys and collect student art work. This collaborave effort allowed the school to develop a school play yard iniave master plan to reflect the history, culture and curriculum unique to Montrose School District RE-1J in accordance with its mission statement. 9

10 Master Plan Intent & Process The planning process consisted of the following tasks: o Task force meengs o Site inventory and analysis o Play equipment assessment o Schoolyard use assessment o Community engagement o Photo surveys and student drawings o Master Plan recommendaons o Preliminary opinion of costs and priorizaon Recommendaons Improved play facilies will serve mulple purposes in not only engaging Montrose School District RE-1J students, but the enre community. The following are recommendaons for implementaon of the School Play Yard Iniave Master Plan at Northside Elementary School. Install New Age-Appropriate Play Equipment To increase physical acvity for all ages and to provide a variety of safe, challenging acvies for all students. Incorporate Natural Playscapes Ulize natural materials to provide natural experiences through the use of logs, boulders, rocks, earth mounds, benches and paths. Develop Areas for Community Use Welcoming the neighborhood to gather, play, and exercise in the play areas will help build support and stewardship of the community by providing a safe place to be acve, not just during recess but also aer school and on weekends. FOUR SQUARE GRASS FIELD TETHERBALL BASKETBALL SWINGS FUNNEL BALL MUSIC ROOM SWINGS HEALTH CENTER DOME CLIMBER MY DREAM PLAYGROUND NORTHSIDE ELEMENTARY SCHOOL, MONTROSE, CO SHED PLAY STRUCTURE TREE MONKEY-BARS BUS LOADING AREA SHED SANDBOX TABLES N. 6TH STREET NORTHSIDE ELEMENTARY SCHOOL My Dream Playground Template, sent for student input NORTHSIDE ELEMENTARY SCHOOL TREE MY NAME IS: I AM IN GRADE: K N. UNCOMPAHGRE AVENUE School Play Yard Initiative Photo Survey Cubby House / Casita de Jugar 7 Shaded Reading Area/ Area de Leer con Sombra Pirate Ship/ Barco Pirata Natural Gateway/ Entrada Natural Fossil Sand Box/ Caja de Harina con Fósiles Natural Sand Box/ Caja de Arena Natural Sensory Learning Garden/ Jardín de Aprendizaje Sensorial Tree House Play Structure/ Casita del Árbol 8 Slide on a Hill/ Deslice en una Colina Mouse House / Casita de Ratónes Musical Elements/Elementos Musicales Balance Beam/ Barra de Equilibrios 9 Climbing Wall/ Pared de Escalar Climbing Net/ Estructuras de Neta para Escalar Bike Rack/ Estante para Biciletas Swings/Columpios Outdoor Classroom/Aula al Aire Libre Rubber Play Surface/ Superficie de Juego de Goma Climbing Rocks/Rocas para Escalar Write your own idea for the playground! Escribir su propia idea para el patio de recreo! 20 10

11 Recommendations Install Climbing Structures To increase upper body strength and coordinaon, and to enliven the exisng acve spaces.improve ADA Accessibility Each play area should be accessible to all the students in the school. It is important for all students and community members regardless of mobility, to be able to interact and be acve with one another. Increase Signs Incorporate entrance signs that inform the community of the days and hours the play yard is open to the public. Improve ADA Accessibility Each play area should be accessible to all the students in the school. It is important for all students and community members regardless of mobility, to be able to interact and be acve with one another. Provide More Hard Surface Games with Educaonal Elements Input from the design commiee and student surveys suggested adding more color on the schoolyard. Students are excited by the color which sparks their creavity during play. Develop Outdoor Learning Environments Incorporate educaonal charts, graphs, and graphics within the schoolyard to promote connuous learning even during recess acvies. Increase Opportunies for Shade To protect students and visitors from the intense Colorado sun and to provide addional gathering spaces for community members. Create an Outdoor Classroom Give teachers the opon to instruct students outdoors to interact with and observe the local environment. Incorporate a Sensory Garden Involving a garden with nave species and/ or xeriscaping can encourage students tacle interacon with plants and foster a stronger relaonship with nature. 11

12 Active Schoolyards Background Acve Schoolyards Background The Colorado Center for Community Development History From its incepon in 1967, CCCD has provided graduate students in the College of Architecture and Planning and in other higher educaon programs, with applied design and planning experience. At the same me, urban and rural communies have benefited through the design of parks, playgrounds, recreaon facilies, bicycle and pedestrian paths and other amenies to promote physical acvity and social interacon. With over two hundred schoolyard designs completed within Denver and throughout Colorado, the success of this program is founded on the mutual goals of creang schoolyard designs that are aesthec and culturally unique to the neighborhoods they serve. The Learning Landscapes program at the College of Architecture and Planning (CAP) has been instrumental in the successful redesign and construcon of schoolyards at elementary schools within the Denver Public School District a total of 96 schoolyards, with the last one being completed in the fall of Specific design features that enhance the schoolyards are standard, such as shade structures, gateways and the incorporaon of children s artwork. However, each design is a unique reflecon of the local school, its students and the community. Faculty, staff and students at CCCD provided assistance with not only design, but also with raising funds and coordinang volunteer builds, contribung to the success of this naonally recognized program. In 2011, Tri-County Health Department partnered with CCCD to design schoolyards for eight school districts in their service area of Adams, Arapahoe and Douglas Counes. The Acve Schoolyards Acve Minds iniave, as it was called, was the capstone project of a $10.5 million Communies Pung Prevenon to Work grant provided by the Centers for Disease Control and Prevenon (CDC). This project was the first of its kind, in that it was the first me that CDC had funded design work that enhanced the built environment as a strategy to disease prevenon. Students at CAP provided forty schools with an acve schoolyard master plan, as well as an inial phase project that could be built with a budget of around $135,000. The intenon was to encourage schools to move forward on implemenng their designs through grants and local fundraising. Through the acve schoolyard iniaves, including Learning Landscapes and Acve Schoolyards Acve Minds, CAP graduate students are able to stretch the boundaries of landscape design, engage the community and gain real-world design experience. Nearly half of the design plans have been built, with local fundraising plans underway to construct the other half. Combining research and experience, CCCD has gained experse in acve schoolyard designs that benefit both children and adults with opportunies for increased physical acvity and social interacon. What We Do: At CCCD, graduate students in UCD s College of Architecture and Planning work closely with school administrators, teachers, students and community members in the redesign of schoolyards into fun, mul-use parks designed to reflect the culture of the surrounding community and/or neighborhood. Acve schoolyards projects help reconnect communies with their schools. The graduate students gain meaningful, hands-on experience working with the community to create schoolyard master plans. How We Do It: Each acve schoolyard design is created by listening and acvely involving the school community throughout the planning and design of the schoolyard. A task force is created at the local school that informs design decisions and begins to develop funding strategies for building the schoolyard. Children also play an important role in the design process, through photo surveys and other methods of collecng their ideas. School themes, mascots, history and other aspects that make the school unique, are also used in the design process. Aer informaon is gathered from the school, graduate students provide the school task force with at least three opons for schoolyard design. A community meeng is held to gather addional input from a wider community and to begin developing support for design implementaon. Once the community s input is added, students develop the final master plan and supporng documents that provide a school with a clear vision and a valuable tool in fundraising. Community Involvement: As with all of the design work done through CCCD, community input and involvement plays a major role in the design process. In many neighborhoods and communies, schoolyards provide the most accessible place for outdoor physical acvity. Schoolyards also provide a social gathering place for adults. Many schoolyard designs include walking paths and exercise staons that provide adults with opportunies for physical acvity. Oen, schoolyard designs include gardens, which are tended by adults and provide both opportunies to interact with others in their community, as well as a source for fresh vegetables. CCCD gathers informaon about how the community plans to use the schoolyard site from partners such as Parks and Recreaon, sports leagues, parent organizaons and garden clubs, so that the schoolyard has a wider range of use among the community. 12

13 Active Schoolyard Components Musical Elements Gateways Climbing Structures An Active Schoolyard is a multi-use park for outdoor learning, discovery, creativity and play that celebrates the unique character of the school and community. Active Schoolyards are comprised of grass playing fields, age-appropriate play equipment, trees, shade structures, gateways, artwork, outdoor classrooms, gardens, traditional play elements and non-traditional play elements. Shade Structure Grass Fields Outdoor Classroom Active Schoolyards function as local public parks providing much needed open space and social gathering places while fostering neighborhood pride for local communities. Habitat & Vegetable Garden Age Appropriate Play Equipment Maps & Hard Surface Games Educational Elements tend to be focused on the unique curriculum of each school. Educational elements also tend to be derived from the schools theme, mascot, motto, etc. These components come in the form of games that are super imposed on the hard court surfaces or words, poems, mathematical formulas etc. These educational elements can be tied to the school s curriculum whereby school teachers can use these elements by bringing their classrooms outside. Or the learning components can simply be whimsical things that all the kids do to use their imaginations while playing hopscotch, tetherball, or any activity. 13

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15 Section Two School Background Existing Conditions Playground Assessment 15

16 School Background School Mission: With our families as partners, our mission is that each child will learn at his/her highest level. (northside.montrosesd.schoolfusion.us) School Moo: s mascot, the Navigators, suggests a naucal theme that relates to the school s moo, S.A.I.L.S. S: Show Respect A: Act Responsibly I: Inspire Trust and Caring L: Listen and Learn S: Safety Always School Demographics Fall 2012 Enrollment: 376 School Background Informaon Sculptures & signage at main entrance (montrosesd.schoolfusion.us) Locaon and History is located at 528 North Uncompahgre Avenue in Montrose, Colorado. The original north building was completed in 1969, and the south building was added in A part of Montrose County School District RE-1J, the school has 376 students in Kindergarten through 5 th grade. Northside s mascot is the Navigators and the school colors are blue and white. Neighborhood Context The school is located on the North side of the City of Montrose within a residenal neighborhood ½ mile south of the Montrose Regional Airport and ¼ mile west of the Montrose County Fairgrounds. To the southwest is a busy commercial corridor along the I-50 business route, N. Townsend Avenue, which houses automove and industrial businesses. The playground at Northside Elementary is used as a community park for the neighborhood, and the fields are used for aer school programs and for pracce by local youth soccer, baseball and soball teams. Male Students: 181 Female Students: 195 Free/Reduced Lunch: 84.31% of students Marquee in front of school Northside Elementary Students (montrosesd.schoolfusion.us) Banner showing school s moo, on display in hallway 16

17 Demographics & Catchment Area Racial Make-up of Northside Elementary Students: 0.9% American Indian/Alaskan Nave 0% Asian 0.53% Black 61.3% Hispanic 35.2% White 0% Nave Hawaiian/Pacific Islander 2.4% Two or more Surrounding Area Demographics The area surrounding, northern Montrose, holds a populaon of 6,205 people according to the 2010 US Census. This is a growing region of Montrose county, census tract 9663, with a populaon increase of 16.8% since The major racial demographics are white, 64%, and Hispanic, 33%. Major employment sectors include retail trade, healthcare and social assistance, and manufacturing. The total number of households in 2010 was 16,408 and the median annual household income was $33,750. Olathe Grade Distribuon of Students: ½ Day Kindergarten: 16 Full Day Kindergarten: 41 1 st grade: 63 2 nd grade: 70 3 rd grade: 61 4 th grade: 60 5 th grade: 65 Northside Johnson 2012 Northside Racial Demographics White 35% Black 0% Asian 0% Nave Hawaiian or Pacic Islander 0% Two or More 2% Hispanic 61% Aerial Image of Northside Elementary Catchm ent Area The catchment area for covers approximately 8.6 square miles within northern Montrose and unincorporated areas to the north. The boundaries are Main St. to the South, Jay Rd. and Ida Rd. to the north. The east and west boundaries are offset from N. Townsend Ave. to 6400 Rd. to the East and Gunnison Rd. (approximately) to the West. Legend Middle School Locations Elementary School Locations Highways Streets Cottonwood Johnson Northside Oak Grove Olathe Pomona Oak Grove NORTHSIDE ELEMENTARY SCHOOL ATTENDANCE BOUNDARY 0 1,500 3,000 6,000 Feet Pomona Elementary School Pomona Catchment Area Map 17

18 Existing Conditions Site Inventory Exisng Condions: Equipment & Materials The grounds at Northside Elementary contain a mixture of play components of varying ages. Some of the components are very old and outdated while others have been more recently upgraded. This mixture has created the lack of an overall cohesive layout for the playground. The ground surface consists of a mixture of grass, asphalt, concrete and pea gravel. The surface beneath exisng play structures is mostly covered with pea gravel which creates safety issues and limits accessibility. ADA Accessibility Accessibility is an important issue to address at Northside Elementary since there are currently two students using wheelchairs. The pea gravel surface which covers much of the playground is difficult to maneuver through and is not an acceptable material by problem. The pea gravel surface, despite its downsides, does provide good drainage for rainwater and runoff during rain and snow events. There are areas that collect water from rain and snow runoff, and some minor grading improvements will be addressed within the master plan. Safety The following issues of safety were addressed by the design team during the meengs: o Pea gravel on the playground is painful to fall upon and can create a slipping hazard when it travels across walkways. o Dated metal play structures can heat up in the summer and can be dangerous to play on. o The foursquare court is located inside the basketball court and can lead to injuries from the close proximity of these two acvies. Parking Parking at Northside Elementary is available in several locaons around the school. There are 14 parking stalls on the East side of the school adjacent to the main entrance on N. Uncompahgre Ave., designated for faculty and staff. Addional parking is available on N. Cascade Avenue which dead-ends next to the basketball courts on the West side of the playground, containing approximately 13 addional stalls. Further parking is available along 5 th and 6 th Street. Maintenance Northside Elementary s grounds are maintained by the Montrose County School District RE-1J Property Services Department, led by Property Services Supervisor Jason Arebalos. The Property Services Department has made recent improvements to Northside Elementary with recent HVAC installaon and a re-seeding of the grass in the quad, both since the summer of Exisng Landscape Condions Pea gravel surface ADA standards. Increasing accessibility by improving the surface will be a major issue to address in the final master plan. Surfaces such as decomposed granite or poured-in-place rubber are more suitable to children with limited mobility. Drainage Drainage issues at Northside Elementary are not a major Circulaon and Site Accessibility The site is accessed by students and the community by access points on all sides of the playground. The use as a community park makes ease of access important, but the school administraon is interested in separang the school yard from the adjacent community space. Circulaon within the playground is managed by a system of walkways oriented in a cruciform shape. This path leads between the large field to the west and the school quad between the two main buildings. Parking Lot on N. Cascade Playground Assessment: The playground at Northside Elementary School contains a variety of equipment and materials arranged within the space. Many large trees offer shade and wind protecon for much of the playground, but the space could benefit from Outdoor stage in quad addional shade and wind protecon in exposed areas. The playground area can be divided into three main areas: the grass area and planng area between the school s main buildings (the quad ), the pea gravel area to the West, and the asphalt and grass field area to the Southwest of the school. The first area consists of a grass and planng area between the two main school buildings. The grass covers approximately 7,000 square foot and also contains some small trees. Some of the trees have circular benches around them. While they do offer seang, many 18

19 Playground Assessment of the benches are not level and appear to be unstable. On the east side of the grass area is a small stage for performances. This stage appears to be in good condion. The planng area next to the grass covers 3,500 square feet and contains some trees and shrubs. These plants are in good condion and appear to be nave species which provide educaonal opportunies for students. On the West side of the planng area is a seang area with four tables. These tables appear to be in good condion but may need to be re-painted to cover some rusted areas. The second area consists of several play structures on a pea gravel surface. This area covers just less than 25,000 square feet and contains the majority of the structures available for students. This area has several large trees which offer sun and wind protecon. The gravel surface, however, is not an ideal safety surface for the play structures and also limits accessibility for students with mobility issues. The gravel area is divided by a concrete sidewalk. Within the area south of the sidewalk are two sets of monkey-bars, a large sand box, a metal dome climbing structure, and a funnel ball court. The monkey bars are relavely old metal structures and are showing signs of wear and rust. The metal dome structure is also showing signs of wear. This type of structure is a safety issue because of the limited access of emergency personnel beneath the structure. The funnel ball goal is relavely new and appears to be in good condion. On the north side of the sidewalk are two metal swing sets and a composite play structure. One swing set has six belt seats and the other has three belt seats and a bucket seat. Both swing sets are quite outdated and are showing signs of wear and minor rust damage. The composite play structure is a relavely recent addion and appears to be in good condion. Though showing some paint wear, the powdercoated posts and plasc components on the structure offer a colorful acvity space to students. This equipment, however, is more oriented toward the primary age group (grades K-3), and addional equipment that is age-appropriate for an intermediate age group (grades 4 and 5) would be beneficial. The third area consists of an asphalt/concrete court area and a grass field at the west end of the playground. The asphalt court covers 3,600 square feet and contains two basketball hoops and a foursquare court. The basketball hoops are relavely old and show signs of wear and rust. The nets are made of chain which has rusted. The court surface appears to be in fair condion with some minor cracks that may create a safety hazard. A major safety issue here is the foursquare court s locaon within the basketball court, which can be dangerous when both are in use. Adjacent to this court is a concrete pad covering 765 square feet and containing two tetherball courts. The concrete is in beer condion than the asphalt court, and shows that concrete is probably a beer choice for hard surface games like basketball and tetherball in this climate. Next to the court area is a large grass field covering approximately 46,000 square feet. This area is a popular space on the playground for students to play soccer and football. The grass is in relavely good condion with a few wear spots. 19

20 Playground Assessment Foursquare court is located inside the basketball court and can lead to injuries from close proximity of two activities Pea Gravel on the playground is not ADA compatible and causes safety hazards Play area is exposed to all weather conditions and 80% of the play area lacks shade Native planting beds contain trees and shrubs for some educational experiences Site Inventory Northside Inspector: Elementary 528 N. Uncompahgre Inspection Date: Montrose, CO Number of children enrolled: Pre-primary and Kindergarten: Primary (First through Third Grades): Intermediate (Fourth and Fifth Grades): Lack of lighting. One light fixture from the existing street lamp Bus Pick-Up and Drop off Elementary School: Patrick Healy Address: Feb Total: N. 6th Street 376 Instructions for completing School Playground Site Inventory: Bus Line-Up Perimeter ChainLink Fence 1. Number of Pieces of Equipment Present - For the thrid column of this inventory survey, please enter the total number of play apparatus found on site where E=ECE, P=Primary, and I=Intermediate intended users. Shed Perimeter ChainLink Fence Tetherball Shed 2. Number of Pieces of Equipment (10 years or older) - For the fourth column of this inventory survey, please enter the total number of play apparatus found on site which is older than 10 years. If there is no historical documentation and/or knowledge a 3. Factor Multiplier - For the fifth column of this inventory survey, please multiply the number of pieces of individual equipment by the number specified. Play Structure Gravel Area (13,970 SF) Swings Swings Concrete Grass Field is highly used and contains patchy areas Asphalt Court (4,600 SF) Northside Elementary School Existing Tree, Typ. Primary Play Area (18,406 SF) Tables 4. Number of Children Accommodated - For the sixth column of this inventory survey, please enter the total number of children that the piece of equipment can accommodate. Note: Some play activities are rated assuming that a few children may have to wait Parking (1,615 SF) 5. When specific equipment is not listed, please find the nearest generic type of equipment possible or list it on the blank space. Four Square Native Planting Beds Funnel Ball Gravel Area (9,145 SF) Grass Field (46,990 SF) Dome Climber Existing Tree Main Entrance Quiet / Secondary Play Area Monkey Bars Office (7,070 SF) Parking (950 SF) Sand Box (425 SF) Chain-link fencing constricts access to the playground from the Health Center Music Room (1,508 SF) 6. Game areas are utilized differently buy each age group, I.e.; a football field is rarely used by 1st graders but heavity used by 4th graders. The Factor Multipliers below are general guidelines only. N. Uncompahgre Avenue Concrete Walk Basketball Concrete Walk T Parking Lot (7,610 SF) T Northside Elementary School (21,316 SF) Northside Child Health Center (1,426 SF) Key Hardscape Softscape Existing Tree Typ. Buildings Sand Area Perimeter ChainLink Fence Dated Metal Play Structures can heat up in the summer and be dangerous to play on as well as cause safety issues for paramedics N. 5th Street Unstable circular benches under trees provide some seating but need replacing Small stage for performances. Appears to be in good condition Gravel Area Parking Area T Trash Area Trees N. Cascade Avenue Circulation Doors 20 Item Equipment Type Slides Wide Slides Swings Climber Horizontal Ladder 6. Horizontal Bars Fire Pole See-Saw 9. Merry-Go-Round Balance Beam Spring Toy Zip Line Number of Pieces of Equipment Present E P I 2 Number of Pieces of Equipment 10 years or older E P I Factor Multipliers Number of Children Accommodated E 2 4 Number of Seats 1 per 4 feet of edge 3 2 for long bar, otherwise use number of pieces number of pieces 2 1 per 1.5 feet of diameter 2 Number of Seats 3 P 4 I

21 Section Three Task Force Vision, Goals, Wish List Ordering System Collage Process Graphics Master Plan 21

22 Task Force, Vision & Goals Task Force Task Force Design & Planning Process Early in the process, assembled a task force including parents, staff, and members of the community. The task force gathered input from Northside Elementary students, parents, staff and the surrounding community through the administra- on of photo surveys and site drawings. Design Consultaon staff at the CCCD synthesized the informaon provided by the task force to develop several dras of the schoolyard master plan from which to gain feedback. This collaborave effort allowed the school to develop schoolyard play iniave master plan to incorporate natural playscapes that reflect the history, culture and curriculum unique to Northside Elementary School. Constuent Concerns, Needs, and Desires Concerns: Accessibility providing access to persons with limited mobility, and to the whole community Safety - Remove pea gravel Needs: Protecon from sun/shade Accessible play surface Community-oriented acvies Desires: Pirate Ship themed play equipment Climbing structures Navigaon-themed elements Musical equipment Community/School gardens Defining the School s Vision Over the course of several meengs with the design team and teachers, the CCCD staff helped the school formulate the following list of goals based on the school s desires and needs. Goals: Incorporate natural playscapes to encourage a connecon between students and the natural world Increase access to natural areas for students and the surrounding community Develop a safe and inving school play yard that meets the needs of the school and community Wish List: Pirate Ship themed play equipment Community gateway and increased access points for community Accessible Surface for all individuals Sports areas, sand box, and climbing structures 22

23 Wish List & Student Drawings Community Surveys: The photo survey results shown below reflect the input of students, parents, school staff, and community members. This collaborave effort allowed CCCD staff to inventory the school and community s preferences to be reflected in the development of a master plan. : School Play Yard Iniave Photo Survey Results Overall Top 5 Picks 1 Climbing Structure (Wall, Rocks, & Net) 2 Pirate Ship (play structure) 3 Accessible Surfacing for all areas 4 Shade Area 5 Two Swing Areas 6 Sports Areas: Tetherball, Basketball, Hopscotch, 4-Square Student Top 5 Picks 1 Mouse House 2 Rubber Play Surface 3 Pirate Ship 4 Climbing Net 5 Climbing Wall Additional Special Requests: Treehouse / Teeter-Totter / Garden Beds / Giant Slide Teachers / Staff Members Top 5 Picks 1 Climbing Rocks with Net Attached 2 Natural Gateway 3 Shaded Reading Areas 4 Pirate Ship 5 Musical Elements 6 Climbing Wall Additional Special Requests: Classroom Garden Beds, Outdoor Seating that is Shaded Online Photo Survey Top 5 Picks 1 Swings 2 Climbing Wall 3 Tree House Play Structure 4 Climbing Rocks 5 Rubber Play Surface 6 Shaded Reading areas 23

24 Ordering System Collage An ordering system or theme to be used in customizing the play areas can be generated from s mascot, the Navigators, and the naucal theme it suggests. These images show the compass rose, world maps, ships and navigaon instruments that could be used within the overall playground layout, or within finer details of the school s custom features. Another educaonal element that could be included is some of the history of Colorado s early explorers, from Spain, France, and the Eastern US. nauticaldecorstore.com artmaterialsonline.com il li

25 Process Graphics Process Graphics: CCCD designers developed four inial conceptual layout plans and sent them to the task force. Each plan shows different opons for the layout and placement of certain items based on the commiee s input and the results of student surveys. The placement of the outdoor classroom, shade structure, and play equipment varies slightly between the plans. From the four concept plans, the task force selected favorable parts of each to incorporate into design concept #5. This plan was developed based on feedback from the task force and other members of the school and its community. This plan was then discussed with members of the task force with budget in mind to select the components to include in phase one of the schoolyard design. The goal of the master plan is to develop an overall design for the playground at Northside Elementary that can be installed either all-at-once or in staggered phases to suit the funding capabilies of the school. The general idea of the proposed play ground is to provide Design Concept #5 Design Concept #1 Design Concept #2 Design Concept #3 Design Concept #4 25

26 Master Plan Decomposed Granite 1/4-Mile Measured Fitness Trail w/ Stations (Future Phase) 1 Secondary Gateway & Entrance Inner Trail, 1/8- Mile Measured Path Shade Shelter & Community Gathering Area (Future Phase) Community Garden (Future Phase) Existing Grass Field to Remain (46,990 SF) Gateway Structure & Primary Entrance w/ Compass 1 Fitness Station, (1 of 3) (Future Phase) 9 Primary Play Pit w/ Pirate Ship Hopscotch Four Square Basketball Court AsphaltTetherball Courts 7 8 Ex. Concrete 1/4-Mile Measured Fitness Trail w/ Stations (Future Phase) 2 Parking Lot Relocated Swings Concrete Walk 6 Shed 5 Ship Playground Existing Concrete Music Room (1,508 SF) Shed Music Area Northside Child Health Care Center 3 Relocated Swings & Existing Play Structure Existing Play Structure Swings Ex. Concrete 4 N. 5th Street Existing Trees to remain Inner Trail, 1/8-Mile path around Play Area N. 6th Street North Bldg. (18,406 SF) Ex. Concrete Existing Quad to Remain Outdoor Classroom & School Garden (Future Phase) Swing Play Pit w/ Boulders & Music Area School Garden (Future Phase) Northside Elementary School South Bldg. (21,316 SF) Existing Trees, to remain Scale: 1 = 30-0 N. Uncompahgre Ave Playground Components: /4 Mile measured jogging path Gateway Structure & Primary Entrance (Compass in Stamped Concrete) Swings & Music Area Outdoor Classroom & School Garden Primary Play Pit Boulder Climbing Structure and Swings Expanded Hard Surface Games Shade Shelter Basketball Courts 1/4 Mile Measured Jogging Path with Exercise Equipment themed-playground-equipment/714-s238.html Primary Play Pit with Sand Box Expanded Hard Surface Games 26

27 Master Plan Description Acve Play Areas Master Plan Descripon Northside s design team came up with innovave ways to incorporate natural playscapes to increase physical acvity and improve learning at their school. The school currently maintains a strong relaonship with the community and would like to further that relaonship. Described below are the proposed changes to the Northside schoolyard in an effort to fulfill the vision and goals developed by the design team: 1. 1/4 Mile Measured Jogging Path This path, made of stabilized crusher fines, can be used during recess, for PE classes, and by visitors from the community. The path is measured at 1/4 th mile to allow joggers to easily calculate their jogging distance, with workout staons at spaced intervals. 3. Swings & Outdoor Music Area One of the two exisng swing-sets at Northside is in need of replacement for safety reasons. Swings received high priority from student surveys and online surveys and are a popular acvity during recess mes for all age groups 2. Gateway Structure & Primary Entrance (Compass Stamped in Concrete) The gateway structure announces visitors arrival into the Northside Elementary School play yard and bestows a sense of ownership for the students and staff. The structure is located at the end of the exisng parking area and incorporates a compass showing the cardinal direcons in alignment with Northside s mascot, the Navigators. 4. Outdoor Classroom & School Garden Adding natural boulders arranged in a semi-circular shape will allow for classes to be taught outside when the weather is perming. The outdoor classroom is located beneath exisng shade trees to create a comfortable outdoor learning environment Boulder Climbing Structure and Swings The boulder climbing structure incorporates natural geologic elements with climbing nets to create an inving acvity that builds upper-body strength and encourages imaginave play. 5. Primary Play Pit w/ Pirate Ship The navigaonal theme of the school is represented within the primary play area in the form of a large pirate ship that includes climbing, balance, and sliding acvies. This was within the top 5 photo survey results from students and school staff. 7. Expanded Hard Surface Games These games will make use of proposed and exisng concrete and will include hopscotch, foursquare, tetherball, basketball, funnel ball. These elements can add color to the playground and also incorporate educaonal elements such as fracons, food groups or cardinal direcons. 9. Basketball Courts The exisng basketball courts incorporate a foursquare court which makes for a potenally dangerous situaon. Expansion of the court space allows for mulple courts to be included without dangerous overlapping. 8. Shade Shelter The shade shelter will allow students and teachers to find refuge from the hot sun and high winds, climate factors that are found in Montrose. This structure will be located near the community gateway to announce entrance into the Northside playground. 27

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29 Section Four Preliminary Opinion of Costs Funding Resources Resources & Acknowledgements 29

30 Preliminary Opinion of Costs 30 - School Play Yard Initiative PHASE I - Based on Top 6 Priority Items - Estimate of Probable Landscape Costs This estimate includes the installation of primary play structure areas, one new swing set, a climbing structure, expanded concrete w/ hard surface games, and a shade structure Category Unit Unit Cost Quantities Total Cost Play Equipment, Structures & Surfacing Primary Play Equipment (Pirate Ship & Sand Box) LS $43, $ 43, Swings (3 bay 6 seat) LS $3, $ 3, Relocate & Reuse 1 existing Swing Set (in Demolition Cost) LS $ $ - Installation & Freight LS $11, $ 11, SUBTOTAL $ 58, Play Surfacing (12" EWF Delivered/Installed) Play Surfacing (12" EWF Delivered/Installed) Swings Area #1 SF $2.70 3,350 $ 9, Primary Play Structure Area SF $2.70 3,130 $ 8, SUBTOTAL $ 17, Concrete & ADA Accessibility Concrete Flatwork- 5' Sidewalk - 4" depth SF $4.00 1,905 $ 7, Concrete Flatwork- 8' Sidewalk (Main Walk) - 4" SF $4.00 2,038 $ 8, depth Concrete mow band, 8"x6" LF $ $ Concrete Ramp at Play Pits EA $1, $ 1, Colored Concrete Flatwork- 4" depth - Navigation SF $ $ 2, SUBTOTAL $ 20, Asphalt Earthwork and Drainage LS $3, $3,000 New Asphalt: 4" Depth (Courts) SF $1.80 3,125 $ 5, SUBTOTAL $8, /8 Mile Jogging Track Crusher Fines Cost Crusher Fines, 4' WIDE X 4" depth SF $ $ 1, Crusher Fines Stabilizer SF $ $ 1, Steel Edging LF $ $ 1, SUBTOTAL $ 4, Site Work & Grading/Drainage & Asphalt Striping Tetherball Striping EA $ $ Hopscotch Striping EA $ $ Basketball Court Striping EA $ $ Basketball Nets EA $ $ Square Striping EA $ $ Reuse Existing Tetherball Poles (in Demolition Cost) EA $ $ - SUBTOTAL $ 1, Gateway Main Entrance Gateway Feature (Primary) EA $5, $ 5, Gateway (Secondary) EA $2, $ 2, Signage EA $ $ SUBTOTAL $ 7, Site Improvements Total: $ 118, School Play Yard Initiative PROJECT START-UP COSTS Project Start Up Typical construction mobilization $5, $5,000 Infrastructure Typical infrastructure construction/repair $2, $2,500 Demolition Typical Demolition $0.00 $0 Architecture Engineering and Coordination Design - UC - Denver $4, $4, % of construction cost $4, $4, Owner Representative Fees 5% of construction cost $0.00 $0.00 Contingency Cost 6.5% of construction cost $7, $7, COST RECAP Site Improvements Price: $ 118, Project Start Up Price: $ 23, PROJECT GRAND TOTAL PRICE: $ 142, ALTERNATES: Project Start-Up Total: $23, Recondition & Seal Existing Asphalt ADD 3895 $0.95 $3, Deduct From Concrete to Asphalt on 8' Main Sidewalk Concrete Flatwork- 8' Sidewalk (Main Walk) - 4" SF $4.00-2,038 $ (8,152.00) depth Painting for Delination along Pathway LS $ $ New Asphalt: 4" Depth (Courts) SF $1.80 2,038 $ 3, SUBTOTAL $ (3,983.60)