Decent but lonely: Towey Recreation Center

Playground: Towey Recreation Center
Location: Howard & Berks (SW corner)
Date visited: 5/29/11

Equipment: Several pieces in one medium play zone:

1. Lower playset (3-4 foot platforms) is unusually big, with lots of climbing of varying difficulty, one plastic curved slide and one straight metal slide, short fireman's pole, and monkey bars.
2. Several "hobby horse" animals, very stiff
3. Swings -- 4 strap and 2 bucket (one missing)
4. Higher playset (5-6 foot platforms) with many climbing ladders and one tall straight metal ladder

material: modern resin & metal
Ages: 1-10
Surface: rubbery around equipment (some holes under monkey bars) and blacktop elsewhere
Shade(0-3): 2
Water: N
Other: baketball rec center with bright abstract mural, handball courts, extra blacktop
Access: open (dawn to dusk)

Impressions: Decent equipment, but covered with graffitti and surrounded by loose trash -- the feeling is dingy even though everything is in functional shape and our 3-year-old had a good time. Faced mostly by the back sides of residential buildings (so it feels more industrial than it is); we enjoyed the crowing of a rooster from a nearby yard.
Overall rating: 6-7