Thursday, September 22, 2011

Play yard for a high-rise: Wissahickon playground

Playground: Wissahickon (not Kelly, as Google thinks!)
Location: Pulaski between W. Penn and W. Queen
Date visited:9/3/11

Equipment: Two smallish zones, separately fenced:
  • Smaller kid area has (a) 3 space pods (low climbing) linked by "tunnels" (sort of bridges caged with bars), and (b) a jungle-gym made of wood and metal, including a metal chain "rope net" for climbing, a wide metal slide, fireman's pole, and a wide metal tube/pipe for climbing or sliding through.
  • Higher structures include a solid bridge, misc. climbing (including a chain "rope net"), curved set of monkey bars, and two tall straight metal slides. Also 4 strap swings in this area.
material: modern or as marked; scale: large space, med. play area
Ages: 2-10
Surface: rubbery around equipment, blacktop elsewhere
Shade(0-3): 0
Water: N
Other: picnic tables, basketball, large blacktop area (& handball?)
Access: open access (dawn to dusk?)

Impressions: Apparently public playground is in fact at the base of a large chainlink-covered apartment building, and probably serves primarily as the recreation space for the families who live there. Average assortment of equipment (although it was fun to see some different materials in the one zone), with quite a bit of blowing trash, wouldn't be a particular draw from elsewhere.
Overall rating: 6

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