- Ogden Public School, 33 Phoebe St.
- Photo: © Torie Gervais
Looking at many schoolyards in the city, you might think that they were designed to maximize the heat island effect. As with this playground at Ogden Public School, a large area has been paved with black asphalt. This, combined with the brick walls of the building and the tar and gravel roof, absorbs the intense rays from the sun and intensifies the heat on our children.
Fortunately, this schoolyard also has a sitting area surrounded by mature trees that provide a welcome oasis of cooling shade. Although this inviting area must attract many young feet, the trees are still thriving. Their health is due in great part to the use of mulch around the base of the trees. Constant foot traffic crushes the soil and presses out the space between the particles that holds water and air, thus killing roots and impeding new growth. For a schoolyard, 10 to 15 cm of composted mulch composed of a mix of woods and leaves can act as a cushion to reduce compaction. In addition, mulch retains moisture in the soil, adds nutrients as it decomposes and insulates the soil from fluctuations in temperatures.
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