Youngstown Outdoor Learning Space

The Cause

The Youngstown Outdoor Learning Space is a multi-faceted outdoor educational environment designed to provide students, educators, and community members with hands-on learning experiences in Outdoor Education, Agriculture, Wildlife, and Cultural Exploration. Situated on over 100 acres of land at the former Youngstown Village Golf Course, this project includes partnerships with Indigenous communities for land-based learning, featuring three teepees and other Indigenous learning opportunities.

The space will include a fish pond, walking trails, a 3D archery course, medicinal plant gardens, and a natural amphitheater. It will serve as a hub for interactive learning, blending STEM education, cultural education, and physical activity. The fish pond will be the keystone feature, allowing students to study aquaculture and local ecosystems.

Additional elements such as a camp kitchen, covered learning spaces, GPS orienteering courses, and physical education equipment like balance beams and pull-up bars will further enhance the site’s functionality. Long-term plans include constructing log cabins for year-round learning and adding restroom facilities.

This project will also serve the broader community, hosting workshops, cultural events, and activities, promoting sustainability, wellness, and community engagement.

Who Will it Benefit?

The Youngstown Outdoor Learning Space will benefit students, teachers, and community members from the Prairie Land Regional Division (PLRD), as well as residents from Special Areas and the broader region. The space will support school districts, including Islamic schools in Calgary, by offering them outdoor education opportunities, workshops, and courses focused on agricultural education, STEM, and Indigenous cultural learning.

This site will offer outdoor learning to students across all age groups, from elementary through high school, promoting hands-on engagement with the natural environment and providing opportunities to study ecosystems, wildlife, and sustainable land use. Beyond school use, the space will also serve local community members, giving them access to walking trails, educational events, and communal spaces for recreational use.

Additionally, Indigenous educators will benefit through their involvement in land-based learning initiatives, allowing them to share traditional knowledge with a wide audience. This will foster stronger cultural ties and a greater understanding of Indigenous perspectives.