Next Steps
The Greening Greenfield Committee is focusing on completing the South Play Yard Improvements, before pursuing the other proposed phases of the conceptual Master Plan because they will result in the most immediate and visible impact for the children and the community. The success of the South Play Yard improvements will help drive the completion of Greening Greenfield's remaining phases, such as the installation of a green roof and solar panels.

The proposed South Play Yard improvements address existing issues and concerns about the play yard and also incorporate new "green ideas." The surface of the south play yard is currently asphalt, with several areas covered with a rubber pad under the existing play equipment. Currently, the impervious playground surface immediately sheds any precipitation into the city sewer system, and on hot days, the dark asphalt play surface radiates heat, making an uncomfortable environment for the students and adding to Center City Philadelphia's urban heat island.
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The Vision
Greening Greenfield is a flexible plan to improve the environmental sustainability of the school's exterior, one that will not only give Greenfield students a rich opportunity to learn the important lessons of environmental stewardship but will also provide the surrounding community with a green open space in the heart of the city.

Envisioned as a demonstration pilot project that can inspire similar projects at other schools, the project is focused on five phases of construction which will transform this urban site into an outdoor laboratory that teaches children about micro-climates, indigenous plants, rain water absorption, energy conservation and harvesting, and their symbiotic relationship to the environment. The phases can be executed in any order or concurrently. The proposed phases of "Greening Greenfield" call for improving the environmental sustainability of the south play yard (east and west side), improving the school's "Secret Garden" (a walled garden at 23rd and Chestnut Streets), and installing a green roof and photovoltaic panels on the roof.

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Objectives

Key objectives of the "Greening Greenfield" project include:

  • Reduce storm water runoff and its impact on site safety and municipal storm sewer system.
  • Provide solar shading (trees) and a green roof to reduce the Urban Heat Island effect.
  • Provide local and drought-resistant plantings that will improve air quality without the need for potable water irrigation.
  • Provide energy through renewable energy sources with photo-voltaic panels.
  • Use recycled content materials where possible.

Timeline

The proposed schedule is as follows:

Request for Proposals from six pre-qualified design teams - August 2008

Design Contract awarded  - September 2008

50% Design Development Phase completion - December 2008

Construction Manager (CM) interviews and selection - January 2009

100% Design Development Phase completion - March 2009

Guaranteed Maximum Price (GMP) negotiation with CM - April 2009

Complete Fund-Raising for west side of play yard - May 2009

SDP Regional Superintendent presents resolution to SRC - May 2009

Construction Documentation Design Phase - April - June 2009

Approvals for Construction - June 2009

Construction of west side of the play yard - June - August 2009

Construction of east side of the play yard - June - August 2010

Celebration of the 40th Anniversary of the school's opening - September 2010