Overview

Project proposal for the redesign of the front yard at Glebe CI.  The proposal aims to create a green, and usable space in partnership with the school and neighbourhood community, with a intended completion date of 2022 in honour of the school’s 100th anniversary.

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Goals

1. Improve parking lot safety

2. Replace fence with natural barrier

3. Improve bike storage

4. Install defined garden

5. Install seating area

6. Create pathways

7. Acquire Indigenous artwork

8. Build outdoor classroom

9. Improve general aesthetic

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Tentative Timeline

Semester ii 2017

• Devise a plan

• Receive preliminary teacher input

• Reach out to the community

• Determine location for trees

• Confirm with Indigenous artists

• Leadership transition

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Summer 2017

• Purchase new bike racks

• Recycle old bike racks as scrap metal

• Prepare for tree planting

• Contact board about fence removal

 

Semester i 2017

• Remove fence

• Install gravel lot for bikes

• Plan garden

• Identify shrubs for removal

• Devise snow removal strategy

• Get quotes for seating

• Fundraise/apply for grants for garden

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Semester ii 2018​

• Contact board/city for shrub removal
• Purchase garden materials

• Purchase seating

• Reach out to students and community for volunteers for gardening day​

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Summer 2018

• Plant trees

• Remove shrubs

• Install seating

• Install garden

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Semester i 2018

• Get fence quotes

• Get path quotes

• Partner with Indigenous Awareness club to pay for Indigenous artwork

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Semester ii 2019

• Contact board about fence and pathway installation

• Confirm progress and pick installation date with Indigenous artist

• Purchase vines

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Summer 2019

• Install Indigenous art

• Lay down pathways

• Install new fence and pillars along First Avenue

• Plant vines for fence

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Semester i 2019 - Summer 2022

• Plan and build outdoor classroom

• Finalize general aesthetic

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Design Elements

Flower and Vegetable Garden

TWIGS is looking at relocating and expanding our current garden.  We would like flowers and an edible garden.

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• Flowers

  • Look for native plants

    • https://nativeplants.evergreen.ca/search/guided.php?province=ON

    • http://ottawa.ca/en/residents/water-and-environment/green-living/going-green-home

  • City of Ottawa leftover bulbs

  • The Ottawa Field-Naturalists’ Club holds an annual native plant sale at the Fletcher Wildlife Garden (Experimental Farm).

  • Visit garden centres

• Contact with experts

• Move the vegetable garden

  • Pair up with a seniors home

  • Day of gardening for students

• Fence

  • A picket fence

    • http://m.homedepot.com/p/Glendale-4-ft-H-x-8-ft-W-Vinyl-Spaced-Picket-Unassembled-Fence-Panel-with-Dog-Ear-Pickets-152811/203464358

  • A bench (see seating)

 

Indigenous Awareness

TWIGS is already in contact with several artists through Indigenous Awareness Club.  They have been asked to construct a piece of artwork (likely a sculpture) for the yard.

 

Seating

TWIGS wishes to increase the number of available seating options, and improve the quality of the fixtures.

 

Picnic benches:

• Benches $300-$1000

• Metal base to prevent theft

• Quantity: 4

• Possible companies:

  • Canaan furnishings

    • Two-sided or four-sided picnic benches

    • Made from recycled plastic

    • Iron footing to prevent theft

    • Many colour options

    • Not local

    • Quotes upon request

  • Barco Products

    • Four-sided picnic bench

• • Made from plastic

  • Steel footing

  • Available in two colours

  • Not local

  • $1,000 per table

• Home Depot or other similar hardware store

  • Cheaper tables

  • Most require assembly

  • Not metal bases

  • Local

• Custom

  • Mr. Vineyard (a woodworking contact)

  • Good quality

  • Our own design

  • Local

  • Price dependant on wood type

  • Possible to make with a metal base from home hardware (http://m.homehardware.ca/h5/m/en/r/hh//en/rec/index.htm/Outdoor-Living/Seasonal/Outdoor-Furniture/Patio-Dining-Furn/Table-Bench-Frames/Black-Round-Picnic-Table-Frame-Kit/_/N-2pqfZ67l/Ne-67n/Ntk-All_EN/R-I6435583?Ntt=picnic+tables)

 

Other possibilities:

• Tree ring seating

  • Ex. https://www.walmart.com/ip/Wooden-Tree-Hugger-Bench/4200656 for $150 per bench

  • Also possibly a build your own

    • Tech class

• Garden fence as a bench

  • Must be custom built

  • See #3 in this PDF https://www.evergreen.ca/downloads/pdfs/Design-Ideas-10-Seating.pdf

 

Bike Accessibility

TWIGS is going to relocate the bike racks.  We are planning on installing a gravel lot and we are in the process of purchasing five  more racks.

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• Remove fence

  • Recycle fence parts as scrap metal http://www.moneyformetal.com/

• Put down same path as proposed in rest of yard

• Install “Please Walk Your Bike Sign” on fence or lamp post http://www.roadtrafficsigns.com/fos/signs/walk-your-bicycle-campground-guide-park-sign/sku-k-8110.aspx

• Rearrange bike racks

• Install gravel http://www.empirepaving.ca/gravel-installation-grading/#

 

Fence

Our plan is to remove the fence on the Glebe and Percy sides of the yard and to create a natural barrier from trees.  On the First Avenue side we will install a new fence with stone pillars at the ends.

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• Remove old fence

• Plant trees (City of Ottawa grant postponed until summer of 2018)

• Black chain link fence (there are many contractors)

• Add climbing flowers (see general aesthetic)

• Stone pillars in the corners

  • Empire Deck & Fence (may be able to do this) (613) 216 1093

  • Total Fence, Deck & Landscape (may be able to do this) An email inquiry has been sent.

  • Green Works Contracting is an Ottawa company that offers interlock and custom fences.  They have said they can do this for $750/pillar minimumhttp://www.greenworkscontracting.ca/our-services/interlockasphalt/

 

Paths

A new set of paths will be laid down.  TWIGS has chosen interlock as a pretty and environmentally friendly option.

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• Interlock

• Variety of Ottawa contractors (http://ottawainterlockcontractors.com)

• ~5,000

 

General Aesthetic

Here are some general ideas for the aesthetic details of the yard:

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• Vines:

  • http://www.bradfordgreenhouses.com/retail/blog/2015/05/22/vines-for-privacy/

• Perennial varieties:

  • Honeysuckle: great for chain link fences, pruning isn’t typically needed

• Peter Knippel Garden Centre:

  • http://knippelgardencentre.com/plant-guide/vines/

  • A local (4590 Bank St, Gloucester, ON K1T 3W6) nursery that sells vines

• Tree and shrub removal:

  • Contact the school board (facilities)

• Garbage fixtures

  • Canaan Furnishings offers nice options

 

Outdoor Classroom

TWIGS is dedicated to making the yard not just a nice space but also a useful space.  For this reason we will be building an outdoor classroom.  The classroom will be completely custom designed with plenty of input from school and community members.  The idea already received overwhelming support from staff in a survey and continues to develop with time.