A broad perspective creates greater impact

Diederik van Gelder, project manager for Greening Alkmaar, explains how the municipality applied experience gained earlier in the Spoorbuurt. “There is little room for greenery and climate measures in this particular neighbourhood. When we do something, we want to tackle it as broadly as possible to make a real impact.”

Renovating a schoolyard is the ideal opportunity to capitalise on multiple possibilities for a neighbourhood. By taking an integrated approach to the project from the outset, themes such as play, health, biodiversity, heat stress and water retention came together. This made it possible to connect different budgets and interests.

According to Diederik, the most important lesson is: “Don’t define such a project too narrowly. It is precisely this broader approach that helps bring partners and resources together.”

Building on experience and enthusiasm

The approach builds on earlier experiences, such as at the Adelbertus school. There, it became clear how powerful momentum can be. “You could feel that everyone here had been working towards this for years. That ‘let’s go’ mentality is infectious and encourages parties to go the extra mile.”

Choosing a complete transformation also proved important. “The impact of a completely renovated yard is significant. It creates a sense of pride at the school and immediately shows the neighbourhood what is possible.”

More greenery for the school and neighbourhood

What distinguishes the Bello schoolyard is its scale and connection with the surrounding area. In accordance with the wishes of local residents, the nearby Druivenlaan square was also redesigned with less paving and much more greenery. As a result, part of the square’s former play function, such as football, was discontinued. This has returned in a much better form on the new Bello schoolyard. In this sense, the school has also taken over part of the square’s public function, allowing children to play here outside school hours as well.

The results are concrete:

  • 30,000 kilograms of rubble removed
  • 520 m² of paving replaced with (playable) greenery
  • 40 new trees planted
  • Various natural play features installed

“As a result, the Spoorbuurt gained more greenery, better play areas and cooling all at once,” says Diederik.

Cooperation as the foundation

Another important insight is the early involvement of all parties. “Start with a shared ambition and make sure you have the right people around the table from the outset, from the school and parents to designers and the municipality.”

Combining multiple objectives may sound overwhelming, but it actually makes the project more feasible: the needs of more local residents and stakeholders are met. The experience in Alkmaar is a good example of this: the greatest gains lie precisely in connecting objectives. Or, as Diederik summarises it: “Dare to take a fresh look at heavily paved places: that is often where the greatest opportunities lie.”

Source: IVN. Photo credits: Ed van de Pol.