The purpose of this handbook is to provide information that aids in the design and development of schoolyards in Kentucky. It describes the schoolyard concept and provides an outline for how to conduct a participatory schoolyard redesign process driven by community input. It discusses why participation is integral to the redesign, how to engage community members in the process, and lessons learned from the Louisville Schoolyards Project facilitated by the City Solutions Center in Louisville, Kentucky. The report describes various elements of schoolyard designs and provides examples of other schoolyard initiatives, particularly the Boston Schoolyard Initiative, the impetus for the projects in Louisville. It also outlines strategies for implementing the resulting design, particularly maintenance and sustainability issues, fundraising, and utilization of community resources. The report also raises the environmental questions that need to be considered throughout the various phases of the design and construction process.
The anticipated audience for this report includes school administrators, planners, architects, teachers, applied academic researchers, and any other individual ororganization interested in developing schoolyard spaces. While this manual was developed to inform redesign projects in Kentucky, much of the information containedin this report is relevant to any participatory schoolyard redesign project, regardless of location.
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