Photo: Bob Acton
by Kathi Elborn,
Glashan Green Team communications
As the school year at Glashan drew to a close last June, a fence went up and backhoes and trucks rolled on site.
After two years of dedicated work by countless volunteers and a creative and tireless fundraising campaign, it was finally TIME! Time to break ground and start the depaving, landscaping and greening work in the Glashan schoolyard.
Photo: Bob Acton
The crew from Rockcliffe Landscaping, contracted by the OCDSB, have been hard at work all summer ripping up the asphalt and turning our grey and bleak yard into glorious green. All of the Phase 1 components of the detailed and beautiful landscaping plans have been realized, thanks to many very generous donors, community partners, parent volunteers and staff.
These components include a great many new trees, grassy areas, an outdoor classroom area with seating, other clusters of orchard mixed with quiet student seating, wooden retaining walls, the digital art murals on exterior walls, and new bike racks, as well as less visible but necessary work like water and drainage remediation. And, of course, some asphalt has been retained for volleyball, basketball and other sports!
On June 12, the Glashan Green Team and school staff hosted a “Greening Launch” party. It was a celebration and a thank you to our many sponsors and donors, parents, students, staff and all of you in the community who have supported these efforts.
Photo: Bob Acton
Cheers went up as the ceremonial first tree was planted out front on Arlington Avenue.
The schoolyard greening project is the result of an amazing community-wide collaboration with the students, school and parents of Glashan by the wider community including Ecology Ottawa, the feeder schools and their parent councils, local businesses, the Centretown and Glebe Community Associations, numerous foundations, the City of Ottawa and Glashan alumni around the world. Most recently, supporters donated over 30,000 pounds of household stuff to the Glashan Used Clothing Drive—a successful fundraiser for the Greening Project that netted us $5,000.
But we’re not finished just yet. Still to work towards are more art installations, a natural play climbing structure, and implementation of noise abatement strategies.
Photo: Bob Acton
On September 8, a new crop of students entered Grade 7. Last year’s Grade 7 students are now the big frogs in the small pond.
If you’re a Glashan parent, your help is needed to see the greening project to its completion. Consider volunteering your time and energy to a worthwhile project and be part of Glashan’s legacy!
Read more about the plans at www.glashangreening.ca or check our Facebook page at www.facebook.com/glashangreeningproject.
Contact us at GlashanGreening@gmail.com.