William Cramp Elementary School

“Our site is plain ground. All we do is talk and run. It gets boring and there are no games.” This is how student Avery Anthony once described the schoolyard at William Cramp Elementary School in North Philadelphia.

The Trust for Public Land helped change that, transforming the barren lot into a vibrant green schoolyard. We worked with students on a design that includes the features they wanted most – like new play equipment and a walking track, garden, and performance space. This new schoolyard is open to the public after school hours and provides the 600 students at William Cramp Elementary School and the 15,000 people who live within a 10-minute walk a safe place to play, learn, and hang out with their friends.

A block away, Collazo Park also underwent a makeover through our Parks for People-Philadelphia program. Together, these two sites provide new green spaces and opportunities for play, recreation, and neighborhood gatherings in the Fairhill neighborhood, the emerging cultural center for Philadelphia’s Latino community.