Top Playgrounds on the East Side

Now that Baby is semi-mobile, meaning I hold his hands while he walks, he shown much more interest in playgrounds beyond the swing set. While training for the Sun Run, I happen upon some parks I had not explored before. Here are some of my favorite so far rated based on do-ability of a 15 month semi-mobile boy from best to worse.

Tecumseh Park (Commercial and 43rd): This is my new favorite spot. The park itself is just a green square, but the playground is awesome. It's brand new, has the newest swings, teeter-tooters, a farm tractor, a smaller slide for the little ones, and a tall twisty one for older kids. There's a great sandbox with a water station for messy fun. There are lots of benches for tired moms and a big picnic table. Definitely worth many visits.

Clark Park (Woodland and 14th): It's a good park for younger and older kids. There's a ball hockey and basketball court, which is different. There's a beautiful view of the mountains as most of the park is on a slope with amazing old trees.

Victoria Park (Victoria and Kitchener): This park and playground has received a wonderful facelift. I remember this park mostly because of the Italian men playing Bocce, but also because it seemed a bit shifty. Now, the playground is brand new, has lots of slides, climbing ropes, a gorgeous sandbox full of toys, and swings. It's always well used by the community and seems to have banished the shiftiness.

Trout Lake: It's such a beautiful spot with a super view of the North Shore mountains, so for mom, that's a bonus, but the playground....nah. Not that good. Unfortunately, the small playground is one of those older wooden ones and the slide and tire swing is for bigger kids. There's no designated sandbox. Dog owners are pretty lax about leashing their dogs and I've had big dogs barreling through and scaring Baby a few times. Great place for looking at ducks though.

Sunnyside Park (Inverness and 17th): This park adjacent to Dickens Elementary is not bad. There are two sections in the playground one for older and another for younger kids. There is no designated sandbox and only one swing for babies. Overall the play area just pales in comparison to the super amazing stuff on the Dickens playground which is only for older kids. Poor Baby just kept pointing at it.

General Brock Park (Brock and 29th): This grass square has a small but new playground. Worth stopping if you stumble upon it, but not to make a special trip for it.

Renfrew and Renfrew Ravine Park (Renfrew and 22nd) This park is interesting, I like the ravine and it's handy to have the community center and library there, but the playground is little. Nothing to write home about.
 
Brewers Park (Victoria and 26th): This small park is bit noisy being right on Victoria and small playground seems a bit rundown. Some moms have told me that they like it because of the small water pool which is open in the summer. Hum...

We Won a New Playground!

In an earlier post, I talked about how the school up the street had a rotting, decrepit playground and how I wished Lord Selkirk Elementary could win a new cool place for kids to play and guess what?! WE WON! I was so happy to see in my inbox today that Lord Selkirk Elementary School is one of the 11 winners who will be sharing in the $1,000,000 Aviva Community Fund! I can't believe it! There were hundreds of well deserving ideas across Canada and several in Vancouver, and the judges selected us! I have to say that those who participated in organizing the candidacy and spreading the word in the neighborhood deserve a big applause. I'm glad my vote made a difference and I can't wait to take Baby!

 

Congratulations to the Lord Selkirk Elementary School-Celebrating 100 Years of Community in Cedar Cottage!

Trout Lake

One of the reasons I agreed to move to the East Side was the proximity to Trout Lake.  I often take Baby around it, we stop at the swings, and say hello to the ducks. I've been noticing playgrounds way more since having a baby, knowing that I will probably spend a lot of time on them soon, and man, there are quite a few old, and rotten playgrounds around the city. Kids love these so much, it's sad to see how lame some are. I'm 37, and I can still remember my favorite childhood playgrounds. With the near completion of the new Trout Lake Community Center in 2012, I was hoping I could see a bit of the $22 Million allotted to a new playground. I don't see it anywhere on the plans..... hum.... I was fishing around on the Vancouver Park Board project website, and it looks like there are no plans for it in the near future. The new playground at Kits Beach cost 1/2 million dollars. HALF a MILLION dollars! I guess that's what it costs these days. AND it's really, really fun! You can tell the community loves it when you see 30 parents chatting with lattes in their hands and 40 kids freaking out on the new swings and spinning climbing ropes.  My only other hope so far is that Lord Selkirk School up the street will win the Aviva Community Fund and get a new playground! We find out on January 25th, 2011 if we win!! Cross my fingers! I want a new swing for Baby! (and me!)