A green-blue schoolyard offers a green, adventurous place that encourages more exercise, play and outdoor lessons. In addition, attention is paid to the collection and drainage of rainwater. Green-blue schoolyards ensure that schoolchildren play in a different way on the grounds and exercise more. This can improve concentration and provide a sense of calm.

Greener and more climate-resilient

Creating green-blue schoolyards is important. Not only for the children, who gain access to more and better play facilities, but also to make the city climate-resilient and add more greenery. During heavy rainfall, water can be collected and absorbed more effectively. This means fewer puddles at the school and in the neighborhood. During hot weather, the greenery provides cooling and shade. The primary schools that now have a green-blue schoolyard are enthusiastic about them. The video below shows a number of examples.

Available amount

A maximum of €80,000 is available per primary school. The subsidy is intended, among other things, for the design, construction and maintenance of the schoolyard. Subsidies are also available for organizing activities for neighborhood children. The municipality requires, as a condition of the subsidy, that the schoolyard be accessible to neighborhood children after school hours. This also benefits them; schoolyards are often the only larger play areas in a neighborhood. Primary schools can apply for a subsidy until 1 April 2022 at the latest. This municipal scheme was also available in 2019 and 2020. A total of 12 schools received subsidies. Six green-blue schoolyards have been completed and are in use, and work will soon begin at six schools. Under the 2022 green-blue schoolyards scheme, at least five more schoolyards can receive a subsidy to renovate their grounds.

Scoring

The applications are assessed and assigned a score. The schools with the highest scores receive a subsidy. A school can earn points based on its motivation and location. Schools in neighborhoods with little greenery, where there is, for example, frequent flooding, have a better chance of receiving a subsidy. The same applies to neighborhoods where children are more likely to be overweight.

Rotterdam is going green

This subsidy is part of ‘Rotterdam is going green’ and ‘Rotterdam WeatherWise’. Through the Rotterdam is going green action program, the municipality, together with residents and businesses, among others, has added 21.5 hectares of greenery to the city. Rotterdam WeatherWise aims to make the city climate-resilient.

Photo: Green-blue schoolyard of the Cristophoorschool in Rotterdam.