WATERLOO -- After a year of planning, a Waterloo elementary school is set to add a little more green space.
A group of volunteers at Keatsway Public School started ripping up asphalt on Saturday.
"One great benefit is providing shade for the kids and a place to play," says Patrick Gilbride from Reep Green Solution.
He adds that the asphalt just soaks up the heat.
The de-paved area is supposed to be better for the environment and there are no machines being used to do the de-paving.
According to Gilbride, a lot of water runs off hard surfaces and ends up carrying pollution into waterways. The green space will allow the water to soak in.
All the dug up asphalt is being recycled and the team hopes to re-use all other materials as much as possible.
The project costs less than $10,000, with help from the local community.
"We did get a lot of grants, one from the City of Waterloo. We had some private donors and school council has supported us. The cost is astonishingly low," says Penny Miller, the school's principal.
The final product will be covered with mulch, a softer and friendlier material for both the environment and children.
The goal is to complete the park space and plant greenery in the spring.
