Another nice spread in the Far Northeast: Fitzpatrick Playground

Playground: Fitzpatrick playground
Location: Academy (just west of Torrey)
Date visited: 10/6/12

Equipment: Three zones, pretty close together, as well as a set of swings (4 bucket and 4 strap):

1. Play jeep for "driving" and climbing, along with a three-seat hobby-horse-teeter-totter
2. The larger playset (marked 5-12) includes a rubber rope climbing tube, tall straight metal and curved plastic slides, a solid bridge, a curved strand of high monkey bars, and tic tac toe underneath
3. Smaller playset (marked 2-5) has a solid bridge, wide metal and curved plastic slides, misc. climbing (including toddler-friendly "barrel stave" type), and tic tac toe

Additionally, there's an arched pipe that appears to be a water element (drain underneath, etc.) but not on at time of visit.
material: modern resin + metal, scale: medium
Ages: 1-10
Surface: rubbery around equipment; cement elsewhere
Shade(0-3): 0
Water: Y
Other: picnic tables, small rec. center, basketball, hockey (?) rink, parking lot, large grassy (soccer) field, wooded park across street
Access: 6am-10pm

Impressions: Relatively new-looking playground offers a nice mix of equipment and pleasant plantings against the backdrop of busy Academy Road (and occasional passing of small planes to/from North Philadelphia Airport). Looks like it abus a highschool, which could make for a busy feel on weekdays, but peaceful (if shadeless) on our fall weekend afternoon. Not sure who, if anyone, lives near this site...
Overall rating: 7

A gem in the Far Northeast: Junod playground

Playground: Junod playground
Location: Dunks Ferry Road just west of Lester
Date visited: 10/16/12

Equipment: An assembly of many types of modern play equipment into several loose zones:

• Two stone elephants are left from an earlier era (used to be sprayers, but no drain now, so just for climbing), out in front of the rec. center. The rest of the playground is to the left/behind the building.
• Lower playset (under the trees) has low monkeybars, rope net climbing, binoculars and megaphone
• Medium playset includes a climbing wall, med. metal slide (steep!), a low bench underneath, standing (angled) spinners, and climbing
• There's a large set of swings including 4 bucket and 6 strap swings
• One grouping is two freestanding spinning cups and a three-person hobby-totter
• Large playset has an angled balance board/climber, vertical rope array with climbing and sitting nodes, rope-ish monkey bars, a harder climbing wall
• A large and festive water sprayground includes poles that spray many directions, arches that spray inward (to run through), and a tall palm tree

material: mostly modern rope-and-metal adventure style; scale of space: medium
Ages: 2-12
Surface: rubbery around equipment; cement or grass elsewhere
Shade(0-3): 1
Water: Y
Other: recreation center, grassy areas, tennis, soccer (tons), basketball, extra blacktop
Access: 6am-10pm posted

Impressions: This inventive and colorful playground takes the play innovations seen at Franklin Square and Herron Park, but includes water, swings, and enough grass to support picnics and frisbee galore. No shade on most of the playspace is a drawback, but benches aplenty for weary caretakers. Worth a visit, especially with older kids who are jaded on the challenges of more typical playgrounds -- they won't run out!
Overall rating: 10