New Community Schoolyards Open at Whitman and Mann Elementary, Giving 800 Students and 5,000 Nearby Residents Access to Vibrant Green Spaces

Whitman Elementary celebrated the opening of their new community schoolyard on Monday, May 19, with a special event led by students. A celebration at Mann Elementary is planned for June. The transformed playgrounds and green spaces are completed through partnership with Trust for Public Land, Parks Tacoma and Kaiser Permanente.

"These new schoolyards are a game-changer for Whitman and Mann Elementary and the surrounding communities,” said School Board President Korey Strozier. “We want all kids to have safe, welcoming spaces to learn and play, and that’s exactly what this does.”

Whitman Elementary's new schoolyard features an updated playground, walking path, accessible walkway ramp, new outdoor classroom, and additional greenery and trees, giving students daily access to nature-rich play that supports learning, health, and happiness. Whitman’s renovated playground also has environmental superpowers, including gardens and natural surfaces that absorb stormwater and help prevent flooding. Through a shared-use agreement, the schoolyard will be open as a local park to the surrounding neighborhood after school hours and on weekends, increasing access to nature’s benefits to the more than 2,000 residents that live within a 10-minute walk of the space. 

At Mann Elementary, the schoolyard has been revitalized with new play equipment, walking paths, field irrigation, an outdoor classroom, and increased outdoor seating areas. Now students have a schoolyard intentionally designed for active and creative play, and those benefits extend far beyond the classroom. Open to the public after school and on weekends, the entire neighborhood can reap the benefits of a close-to-home green space. Mann Elementary’s refreshed schoolyard has brought a high-quality park to 3,075 people within a 10-minute walk.  

Students, teachers, and neighbors all played a key role in creating the new parks at Whitman and Mann Elementary, contributing ideas and collaborating on designs that advance community goals, reflect local school culture, and feature fun, interactive playgrounds, and useful amenities for residents of every age. 

Studies found that Tacoma had the largest park access gap of any major city in Washington, which spurred the opening of five parks for the communities that need them most. Under the Tacoma Community Schoolyards pilot program, four existing playgrounds have been renovated including Whitman, Mann, Helen B. Stafford, and Jennie Reed Elementary. The group is also actively working to secure funding for schoolyard renovations at Larchmont Elementary. Upon completion, the five new schoolyard parks will benefit 27,000 people including 25,000 people that live within a 10-minute walk of the parks and 2,000 students. 

Additional funding was provided by the State of Washington, the Names Family Foundation, Bamford Foundation, Boeing, The Norcliffe Foundation, and The Russell Family Foundation as well as many generous businesses, foundations, and community members. With the price of land rising in Tacoma, transforming existing schoolyards into community parks outside of school hours is a cost-effective and innovative solution.