One of the coolest ideas to revitalize Lake Lorna Doone Park was an outdoor chickee hut classroom under a huge live oak tree. The goal of the classroom would be to teach kids about the wide diversity of life in the park. In preparation for this illustration I spent an afternoon with an advanced urban sketching student and we sketched the splash pad. I got to appreciate the shade offered by the live oak as I sketched. Sketches I had done of kids enjoying the water spray were directly incorporated in the final illustration, just way smaller.
Another program discussed was a photography program for kids. Money is being raised to acquire cameras for the kids and the plan is to have the kids photograph the wildlife and then develop the film themselves. I like how they are planning to teach the history of photography rather then just having kids take cell phone photos which will eventually be lost when their phones die.
A free library is planned where you can take a book or leave a book. There is also a plan to also plant native fruit trees so kids can pick their own fruit.