Expanding outdoor gathering spaces in the Environment Greens
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The grassy area across from EV3 is a beautiful spot—nestled under the shade of mature trees alongside Laurel Creek and within earshot of birdsong and running water. Yet, for many years, there was limited seating in that vicinity around which people could gather and sit.
This year a group of staff and faculty sought to expand the seating space for small and large groups to spend more time outdoors in the Environment Greens. The pilot project installed five log benches that seat up to 25 people and three octagonal picnic tables are also scheduled to be put in. The space is intended for students, staff, and faculty from across the university to use for informal social gatherings and for small classes, tutorials, labs, formal meetings and clubs.
Five log benches were installed that can seat up to 25 people.
Environment staff congregated in the space to mark Moose Hide Campaign Day.
“There is very little infrastructure for outdoor gathering or learning at Waterloo,” says Dr. Steffanie Scott, project lead and professor in the Department of Geography and Environmental Management. “We wanted to reinforce our campus community’s connection with nature and create opportunities for community building because there is increasing evidence that connecting to the land and nature has well-being, academic, and social and emotional benefits.”
Now that the space is in operation, the organizers will be collecting feedback from users of the space to inform whether this pilot project is well received and used. This information will help inform advocacy for additional outdoor gathering spaces on other parts of campus.
The project was made possible thanks to funding from the Sustainability Action Fund, Waterloo Association of Geography Students in partnership with the Student Life Endowment Fund, offered by the Waterloo Undergraduate Student Association.
