Creating a space for reflection

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This article was published 29/01/2018 (2880 days ago), so information in it may no longer be current.

Danika Harland has designs on Nelson McIntyre Collegiate.

The 16-year-old Southdale resident is in the project-based learning program Propel, having studied at the Norwood-based school since September. Her home school is J.H. Bruns Collegiate.

Harland’s project — which is titled Creating a detailed blueprint for an urban greenspace — involves upgrading and rejuvenating a rectangular outdoor courtyard area on the school’s main floor by creating an environmentally-sustainable design that includes elements of nature. Along with her teachers Patrick Hansen and Matt Patrician, her mentors for the project are Mark Bauche, an associate with HTFC Planning & Design, and master gardener Colleen Zacharias. The courtyard measures 30-foot by 15-foot, Harland said.

“Basically, we’re going to be upgrading our courtyard, which is currently an adult-sized sandbox, and creating a space for students where they can go and sit and feel immersed with nature,” Harland said, noting the redesigned space will also include a number of vertical bike racks that will be fixed to the wall.

“It’s important to me to be able to create a space where people can go and be away from the school environment for a while and relieve some stress. High school students can get pretty stressed sometimes, as we’re all trying to figure out who we are, so hopefully the new area will provide time for relaxation and reflection.”

Having developed an interest in environmental sciences last year, part of Harland’s inspiration for the idea came from seeing images of “vegetation gardens on top of apartment buildings” on Pinterest: “I thought ‘what if I did a garden in the courtyard area?’”

At this point in the process, the project’s design is now complete, Harland said. The school’s administration had asked the teen to come up with designs with three different budgets in mind.

“They’ve chosen a design, the middle one, and I have a budget of $1,500. All the materials have been sourced, and I know where everything is coming from. At press time, Harland was in the process of contacting businesses regarding purchasing bike racks and soil.

Harland presented her project to family, friends and other members of the school’s community at a special event on Jan. 30.