At the Saint-Jean school in Strasbourg, students and teachers were surprised to find a dramatically transformed playground at the beginning of the school year. The once-asphalted area is now being redesigned to include more greenery, with plans to add plantings by next winter. This greening project, launched by the Ecologists party, has sparked debate with the new socialist city administration, which is now questioning its effectiveness. Outgoing mayor Jeanne Barseghian, who led the Ecologists, called the decision to pause the project "irresponsible," especially after the city endured a severe summer of heatwaves. Six months after winning the municipal elections, new mayor Catherine Trautmann, from the Socialist Party, is reviewing the greening of schoolyards, a major initiative launched by her former rival, Jeanne Barseghian. Céline Geissmann, the socialist deputy in charge of education, insists that the goal is not to stop the greening entirely, but to evaluate its outcomes. Jeanne Barseghian had made greening schoolyards a key part of her strategy to adapt to climate change, aiming to reduce urban heat and improve rainwater drainage by replacing asphalt with green spaces. Over 70% of preschool and elementary schools in Strasbourg had already benefited from this initiative, with the potential to reach 100% completion within two to three years, had the work continued at the same pace. However, Céline Geissmann reports that some schools have raised concerns. "Sometimes, we are told that certain games are not suitable and should be removed," she says, adding that the city wants to understand why some projects are not working as intended, which could lead to financial losses. She also questions the effectiveness of the "cool islands" promised by the Ecologists, noting that the trees planted are too young to provide significant shade. During the June heatwave, school principals said that green playgrounds were not enough for children to play safely outdoors. As an alternative, the city is considering an "outdoor school" in the forest, which would offer climate shelters during heatwaves, but would not help reduce urban heat. However, budget constraints may prevent the greening of all playgrounds. Jeanne Barseghian, now in the opposition, criticizes the decision to pause the greening project, calling it "irresponsible" and "anachronistic" after the recent heatwaves. She questions what will happen to the consultation processes already underway, which involved teachers, students, parents, and technical staff in redesigning playgrounds. Céline Geissmann says she intends to continue these consultations, though no specific date has been set. Beyond the greening project, Jeanne Barseghian feels that the achievements of her term are being reversed by the new socialist administration, including the relighting of public areas and changes to parking fees, which had aimed to reduce car use in the city center. She calls these changes a "big loss" for the city.