Frick Environmental Center Sensory Classroom THE PLANNING AND DESIGN OF AN OUTDOOR SENSORY CLASSROOM

PROJECT OVERVIEW

The Pittsburgh Parks Conservancy recently was awarded a $235,000 grant from the Edith L. Trees Charitable Trust, to plan, design and conduct community engagement for an outdoor sensory classroom at the Frick Environmental Center (FEC). 

The Parks Conservancy is excited to kick off the project by engaging with focus groups of Pittsburgh educators, caregivers, disability advocates and community members and assembling an Advisory Committee to ensure the design of the sensory classroom responds to the needs of educators, learners with exceptionalities and park users. In addition, the Parks Conservancy will work with experienced parks and sensory landscape-design consultants with the goal of repurposing and enhancing the existing spaces at the FEC with thoughtfully designed improvements to provide structured learning, play, discovery, observation and gathering.

Focus groups, listening sessions, surveys and public meetings will continue throughout the various phases of the project and feedback will be incorporated as the plan progresses.

Design of the outdoor sensory classroom is projected for completion in the summer of 2023.

Project Information

Children and teachers learning outdoors in Frick Park

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