From the gloom on students’ faces, you would have never known that outside the sun was shining and the birds were singing. It was to be indoor recess yet again. Rain had caused groundwater to rise to the surface, creating waterlogged conditions around the school. The drainage issue not only affected students’ use of the playground, it threatened trees and shrubs that were not adapted to growing in water saturated soils. We had a very real problem on our hands.