Tacoma Community Schoolyards

Tacoma is home to some spectacular parks, including world-class public spaces like Point Defiance Park. But despite these iconic parks, access to green space is unequal. More than 65,000 people do not have a park within a 10-minute walk of home, the largest park access gap of any major city in Washington.

Like in many cities, Tacoma’s Park access reflects inequities in income, health, and other resources. Much of the city’s urban landscape is already developed, leaving limited opportunities to create new parks. The solution? Community schoolyards.

Tacoma’s East side and South End neighbourhoods are diverse and engaged communities with shared visions for a greener future—one where everyone can connect to nature. Today, residents have the most limited nature access in the city, but thanks to advocacy by the community, that will soon change. TPL is partnering with Tacoma Public Schools, Metro Parks Tacoma, and local leaders to renovate and open five community schoolyards across the city.

Transforming these playgrounds into vibrant green spaces gives students daily access to nature-rich play that supports their learning, health, and happiness. Opening these schoolyards as local parks outside of school hours extends nature’s benefits to the entire neighbourhood.

A huge component of our work is collaborating with students, teachers, and neighbours to design schoolyards that advance community goals, reflect local cultures, build climate resilience, and feature student interests. The result? Beautiful outdoor spaces brimming with one-of-a-kind artwork, fun and interactive playgrounds, and useful amenities for residents of every age.

Once our five pilot sites are complete, more than 2,000 elementary school students will have a new, vibrant schoolyard to enjoy and explore. These once-underused schoolyards, now turned into dynamic neighbourhood parks, will serve 25,000 people within a 10-minute walk of home.

Across the city, schoolyards hold incredible potential. Renovating and opening all of Tacoma’s schoolyards to the public after school would put a high-quality park within a 10-minute walk of home for 88 percent of residents—making schoolyards the key to a greener, healthier city.