An afternoon at school (presentation of renovation proposals, water games and more)
On the longest day of the year, marking the beginning of summer, we gathered on the playground next to the Karel Destovnik Kajuh elementary school. In attendance were members of the Pazi!park association, Youth Station Moste, Street Dragons, and a host of children and their parents. Tension filled the air on this scorching summer day, with distant lightning and thunder as ominous signs of an impending storm. However, the approaching tempest didn’t deter us. Buckets were filled with water in anticipation of water games, the aroma of Tim’s pancakes wafted through the air, and ideas for the school’s surroundings renovation flapped in the breeze.
At the summer gathering, Pazi!park presented proposals for the renovation of the school’s sports and green areas. These proposals were crafted based on the ideas contributed by children during the fall workshops as part of the RE:PLAY project. In recent weeks, we have also discussed these proposals with teachers and the school’s management. The charged and hot atmosphere of that afternoon was more conducive to play, and the water games lost all structure, leaving behind unrestrained, unstructured play. This is precisely what we aim to encourage through the RE:PLAY project! The energetic children did not engage in a discussion of the new proposals, but their parents took an interest and offered their perspectives. The comments were diverse, but most agreed that any changes related to renovation are welcome. Parents hope for children to spend more time outdoors, even having outdoor classrooms. They support initiatives like painting the asphalt surfaces with ground games and planting a willow house along with additional greenery.
The presented proposal encompass a comprehensive masterplan, part of which will be realized through the ongoing RE:PLAY project. Parents believe that having a vision is important, but to bring individual ideas to life and achieve a complete renovation, additional fundraising efforts will be required.
As the pancakes dwindled and fresh gusts of wind embraced the hanging proposals, we concluded the presentation with the promisse of meeting again at the end of summer to determine when we’ll roll up our sleeves. Pazi!park, in collaboration with students, parents, and teachers, will put some of these proposals into practice. You are already invited to join us again after the holidays!