Step by step, the schoolyard at Lea Elementary at 4700 Locust St. continues taking steps forward. When we first brought this school to your attention over three years ago, the Community Design Collaborative has just hosted a design charrette, examining ways to transform the schoolyard into a greener place for students and the whole community. Ideas generated at the charrette were compiled and presented to the community in January of 2013, and the "Greening Lea" effort began in earnest. About a year ago, the schoolyard added a second playground and as a result eliminated 4,400 sqft of impervious surfaces at the site. Over the summer, the first major phase of construction got underway.
Not only will this project manage over two acres of stormwater, but it will also create outdoor educational opportunities for students that simply weren't possible in the past. Plus, the schoolyard will look infinitely better than it ever has, which should be a point of pride for students and neighbors alike.
On Saturday, October 17th at 10:00am, you can joing the West Philly Coalition for Neighborhood Schools for a planting day at Lea. They'll need your help planting trees and bushes in the thousands of square-feet of new rain garden and also in an expanded "pilot" bed. Some slightly chilly but dry fall weather is expected tomorrow, so it should be a good time and it's certainly for a good cause. If you're not available tomorrow but you'd still like to get involved, you can always make a donation to Greening Lea.