Like many churches with schools, the St. Andrew Catholic School, located in the heart of Myrtle Beach, South Carolina, has evolved and grown over the years, thus putting extra pressure on a constrained property where each square foot of real estate matters and requiring the Landscape Architects to squeeze the proverbial ten pounds into a five-pound bag.

The goal of carving out room for a playground and study park on the side yard of the school while maintaining external pedestrian circulation and keeping the children safe from the adjacent parking and public right of way were important parts of the program, as was the importance of preserving the beautiful Live Oaks and Pines that share the space.

 

A linear play structure was selected for its dimensions and to provide a nice variety of activities while leaving room for the requisite safety zone, benches, ornamental plantings, and perimeter fence. The wooded study park continued the theme with picnic tables and additional vegetation, making it a comfortable area for hosting outdoor classrooms as well as afterschool studies.

Being located in the City of Myrtle Beach, the proposed service project still required approvals from the Planning, Zoning, and Building Departments, as well as the local Community Appearance Board, whose task it is to assure that all proposed construction outcomes are harmonious with the surroundings and aesthetically pleasing.

Landscape Architect Gregory D. Duckworth, FASLA, founder and owner of Environmental Concepts, LLC, volunteered his firm's services to assist the school with the development of plans and subsequent approvals for the installation of the project.

Monsignor Chet Moczydlowski, the St. Andrew Catholic Church pastor, assisted in the dedication of the new playground. The dedication took place after a weekly school Mass, with schoolchildren and
faculty in attendance.

The playground was funded by proceeds from the Taste of the Town, a major fundraising and social event held annually at the Myrtle Beach Convention Center.

As seen in LASN magazine, July 2025.