Children and youth in Pilsen need more outdoor green spaces where they can play, enjoy nature, and learn about the environment.
Through the Pilsen Toolkit project, community leaders came together to create just such a space: they transformed an abandoned lot near a local daycare into an outdoor climate classroom.
While young kids will use this place to play freely amidst native plants, older youth will work to continue creating the site, installing murals and promoting green practices like biking.
The entrance to this site is both wheelchair and tricycle accessible, and was designed to function as auditorium seating for community workshops and cultural events.
Fortunately, there are other Pilsen leaders working to develop similar nature-based play spaces for area youth. At Orozco Elementary School, teachers installed a community garden (pictured) to teach science through recreation.
