Have you ever played in an asphalt playground and thought, “Wow, what a refreshing place!” Probably not! Well, since 2017, volunteers have been transforming these gray places called heat islands into green islands designed for citizens.
Let’s travel to June 2022, to the courtyard of Sacré-Coeur Elementary School in Coaticook, Estrie. It’s covered in asphalt and… phew, it’s hot! Why? Because we’re in what’s called a heat island.
These are places where the temperature is higher than in the surrounding area. They form mainly in cities, on concrete or asphalt surfaces. These materials absorb heat and release it all around us! And there is almost no vegetation there. These heat islands contribute to worsening air quality. They can therefore have harmful effects on health.
A natural air conditioner
In 2017, the Urban Ecology Centre created the “Sous les pavés” program. Its mission: to fight against heat islands. The projects are carried out with the help of municipalities and citizens. How? By transforming asphalt areas (often parking lots!) into green spaces. Plants, trees and even soil freshen the air and absorb water, creating a cooler and healthier place. Since its creation, the organization has carried out 35 projects in 12 regions of Quebec!
I now invite you to imagine yourself in the same Coaticook playground, but in the summer of 2023. The landscape has changed a lot!
In January 2023, students from the Sacré-Coeur school imagined their dream playground. Then, in May 2023, a team from Sous les pavés, equipped with machines, came to break up part of the asphalt. Then, 100 third-cycle students and their parents tore up the asphalt to free the soil hidden underneath! They were finally able to plant trees and shrubs there.
On the organization’s website, you can read a student’s testimonial. “It allows us to breathe better. I think it’s cool to be able to participate in giving our yard more nature and not just asphalt,” he said.
Students can now enjoy this island of freshness!
Camille Lopez, from an article by Jeanne Corriveau, The duty
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