Best Practices

Make clearly defined rules or arrangements with the general public, local organizations and nearby facilities. This will make the agreements more sustainable and provides the most benefit for both school and community. 

Add a crosswalk with signals and other traffic-calming features to provide safe pedestrian access for students. See Resources for organizations supporting these initiatives. 

The agreement does not have to be extremely formal; it can simply be a signed letter by the participating organizations agreeing to share space. (See examples in the Documentation Toolkit.)

Ideally, place the dedicated-use facilities close to the perimeter of the building and near the parking lot. This will allow easy access for community members and limit interruptions during the school day. Additionally, if these spaces are located at the center of the school, it is more difficult to control for safety. 

Ideally, place the shared facilities close to the perimeter of the building and near the parking lot. This will allow easy access for community members and limit interruptions during the school day. Additionally, if these spaces are located at the center of the school, it is more difficult to control for safety. 

Under this option, the school has access to two nearby facilities. The only design consideration for this credit is providing dedicated pedestrian access from the school to the shared facility. Many schools choose to forgo the addition of a pool or gym if there are similar facilities nearby and a satisfactory arrangement can be made to allow student access. 

This option provides dedicated-use spaces to two community organizations. The school board decides which organizations are most interested and best-suited, and the design and contractual agreements are dealt with accordingly. A few options to consider include:

See if community funds are available to aid the purchase of the land or the construction of the building. This could help the school purchase more desirable land, locate in a more centralized area, or build more amenities on the site.

This option provides accessibility to three joint-use spaces for the general public. The school board decides which spaces are to be available for public use, and the building is designed accordingly. Many schools choose to open the gym, playing fields and parking lots to the community before and after school hours. 

See if community funds are available to aid the purchase of the land or the construction of the building. This could help the school purchase more desirable land, locate in a more centralized area, or build more amenities on the site.