Changing The Soil Of The Province

As an apartment renter, I'm lucky to live on the ground floor. As a dog owner, I'm a little concerned about the lack of grass around the trees. Now, it's not just our dogs that use the trees, every dog in the neighborhood uses these trees too, we're on the way to a large field. I've been concerned for some time about soil health, and with all all that urine hitting the soil, I've started wondering what I can plant there that might have a fighting chance.
Clover would help rebuild the already horrible soil. Grass seed would be better than nothing, but "regular" grass seedlings might all die back again next summer. Maybe a mulch of wood chips, but then that doesn't help rebuild the soil, it would just cover up the bare spots. So buying a mixed grass seed high in fescues or rye grass would be better I'm thinking. We also have a worn spot that leads from the sidewalk to our patio door, so a small bag of the aforementioned grass seed is needed in a couple of spots. I know that we're not responsible to fix these spots, but I feel guilty because the trail from the sidewalk to our door, and the bald spot in front of our patio door is our fault. Our soil here is nutrient empty and only occasionally sees a worm, so I'm thinking anything I can do to help is going to be a good thing.

I can hear you wondering just how I plan to do this....

I am going to haunt my local hardware store and my favorite local seed company to see what choices I have. I'll open up my compost bucket and see how things are cooking and if it's a t a state that I can use it soon, I'll develop a reseeding plan that includes new soil, compost and grass seed.

I feel a little like Johnny Appleseed...only with soil. Changing the soil of the province, one address at a time.