With funding from the California Department of Forestry and Fire Protection’s (Cal Fire) Urban and Community Forestry Green Schoolyards Planning Grant Program, CWH led a community-led and nature-based green schoolyard design process at Holmes Elementary School and seven other Los Angeles Unified School District (LAUSD) school campuses. Located in South LA, Holmes Elementary School’s proposed green schoolyard project addresses the urgent need for shaded, green spaces that provide students with nature-based play opportunities that support their learning and mental and physical health.
As part of our school community-led design process, CWH partnered with Los Angeles Neighborhood Initiative (LANI), a community-based organization with experience engaging residents around green infrastructure, EPT Design for landscape architecture and design services, and Herrera Environmental Consultants, which contributed its civil engineering expertise. In partnership with LAUSD, CWH’s project team developed 50 percent conceptual designs for Holmes’ green schoolyard project that reflect the needs and priorities LANI identified with the school community.
The proposed green schoolyard design focuses on asphalt removal and the addition of shade trees in student accessible areas of the campus. The design includes a reading garden, two nature-based play areas, a science garden, native habitat gardens along a fitness track loop, and an outdoor learning area.
Project Benefits
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About the Project
CBO Partner
Los Angeles Neighborhood Initiative (LANI) is a non-profit organization that revitalizes neighborhoods by engaging people and building vibrant public spaces. Since 1994, LANI has helped revitalize more than 50 low and mixed-income neighborhoods throughout the Los Angeles region. LANI works with communities to plan and implement projects like new parks and open spaces, business corridor improvements, street tree plantings and sidewalk repairs, public art and placemaking, and transportation enhancements like crosswalks, bike lanes, lighting, bus shelters, and transit plazas.
Given LANI’s prior school greening and community engagement experience, CWH invited LANI to partner on our Cal Fire Green Schoolyards Planning Grant as the community engagement lead for Holmes Elementary School. In this role, LANI led school community education, outreach, and engagement activities that supported a school community-led nature-based design process that reached 50% design. Throughout the design process, LANI engaged Holmes’ school community and gathered critical design input using surveys, presentations, and various in-classroom activities. LANI’s in-classroom activities ranged from drawing activities to educational activities that taught students about extreme heat and the importance of school greening. As a result, LANI received 249 survey responses from students, parents, and teachers.
LANI presenting Holmes' conceptual design to the Principal and other administrative staff to gather feedback for EPT.
Student art developed during a green schoolyard visioning activity.
Project Progress
Conceptual Design
During the Spring of 2024, LANI, EPT Design, and CWH worked together to engage Holmes Avenue Elementary School’s community (students, teachers, parents, and staff) through surveys, educational in-classroom activities, and presentations to staff and parents. These presentations allowed LANI to educate Holmes’ school community on the importance of school greening, introduce CWH’s Cal Fire planning grant, and gather extensive input to inform EPT Design’s conceptual design process. Through this process, LANI and EPT Design worked closely to ensure Holmes’ conceptual design reflects the school community’s needs, priorities, and vision of their green schoolyard.
Image Credit: EPT Design Landscape Architects
30% Design
At the 30% design phase, EPT Design transformed the initial conceptual design into detailed civil and landscape design documents that incorporated additional school community feedback received on the conceptual design. CWH and EPT Design also worked with PSOMAS, Pinnacle, and LAUSD staff to identify the location of underground utilities, conduct soil and asphalt testing, and perform other site analyses. During this process, EPT Design adjusted the schoolyard’s design to reflect what is technically feasible.
Image Credit: EPT Design Landscape Architects
50% Design
From the 30 to 50% design, EPT Design incorporated CWH and LAUSD’s technical feedback on the green schoolyard design and expanded the design to include more technical details. The technical changes incorporated into the final 50% design include, but are not limited to, demolition plans, civil engineering sheets that assess grading and drainage, irrigation plans, proposed plant palettes, and a drafted construction budget. EPT Design also created an updated design exhibit for LANI to share with Holmes’ school community. In February of 2025, LANI and CWH shared project update and presented Holmes’ updated design exhibit at a teacher and staff meeting and via large posters displayed at the front of the school.
Image Credit: EPT Design Landscape Architects
Project Photos
View of the handball wall (underutilized) and the expansive area of asphalt.
View of the expansive asphalt covering Holmes' schoolyard and students playing recess in the background.
View of designated asphalt soccer area.
View of the handball wall (underutilized) and the expansive area of asphalt.