Ontario sits at the convergence of the Snake, Malheur, Owyhee, and Payette Rivers in Eastern Oregon, just west of the Idaho border. The histories of many Indigenous peoples of the Snake River Plain intersect with those of Asian, African, and European immigrants, settlers, laborers, farmers–creating a rich cultural crossroads amidst the sagebrush grassland of the intermountain west. Alameda Elementary School is located in southwest Ontario and was selected for the Oregon Rural Community Schoolyards program in an effort to help build community, economic development, climate resilience, and address public health issues. Through classroom workshops, parent surveys, and community events, ABLE has worked with the Ontario community to create a design for a new schoolyard representative of the many cultures rooted a vibrant, dynamic landscape: a large shade structure for protection from the sun and inclement weather, safe areas to play, gathering spaces for classes and families to come together and learn, walking loops and trails to get kids moving, and native planting areas to manage stormwater.

In Ontario’s new schoolyard, creative expression can run free–gathering nooks for hangout space double as spaces for art and music making, new murals line the building, areas allow for assemblies and band recitals, and animal tracks representing local species dot the surfacing encouraging students to swim, hop, flutter, jump and slither across the schoolyard. We’ve expanded the usable space for sports like volleyball, basketball, gaga ball, and soccer. Culturally-relevant play structures (an onion!) and plantings of drought-tolerant, low maintenance, cold-hardy shrubs and perennials will connect kids to nature and bring learning out of the classroom in a fun and active environment.