Ramp: upscale playground and athletic area in the shadow of Father Judge HS

Playground: Ramp
Location: Solly Ave. (at Rowland)
Date visited: 5/12/13

Equipment:

• bigger playset: tall straight and spiral slides (metal), fireman's pole, solid bridge, lots of climbing, arched monkey bars, tall and short hanging bars
• small playset: low curved and tall wavy (mogul) slides (plastic), solid bridge, climbing, tic-tac-toe galore
• six strap and two bucket slides

Ages: 1.5-11
Surface: rubbery/blacktop
Shade(0-3): 1
Water: Y (single pole)
Other: fancy baseball (little league, and used by Father Judge HS), basketball, rec center with covered area, hockey court, extra grassy areas
Access: M-F 1-9 PM, Sa Su 9 AM-5 PM

Impressions: Busy and cheerful playground surrounded by a range of well-maintained athletic space.  Decently designed for a range of ages (although no particular novelties) and shaded grass areas invite a picnic
Overall rating: 8

Torresdale Playground: an open playspace

Playground: Torresdale Playground
Location: Leon Street (near intersection of Frankford and Grant); parking lot is shared with the golf club across the street
Date visited: 10/8/11

Equipment: Three major zones on opposite sides of the rec building:

1. Little arches of brick wall separate two tot play areas:
   • Low modern playset with 2-3-foot platforms, 3 straight plastic slides, a fireman's pole, and 4 bucket swings nearby
     
   • Second zone has old-style metal equipment pieces, including 3 arched climbing ladders (almost monkey bars), one radial 8-foot radial jungle gym, and a freestanding metal slide (3-4 foot) with its own steps
   
   
2. A large cement circle encloses a water zone, with several sprayers and low curved walls
   
   
3. The larger kid zone (far side of building) has two playsets:
   • Higher has misc. climbing, a curved stretch of monkey bars, tall (6-foot) metal slide, 1 strap swing (room for 2)
     
   • Lower playset has lower climbing, 4-foot metal slide, and fireman's pole

Ages: 1.5-10
Surface: rubbery around equipment; cement and grass elsewhere
Shade(0-3): 1
Water: Y
Other: lots of grass, baseball, basketball, tennis, rec. center with covered area in front (also nearby golf course)
Access: 6am-10pm (not fenced)

Impressions: Not cutting edge or unusual, but the mix of spaces and equipment, combined with the expanse of inviting grass and large trees, is appealing. Reasonable range of ages covered, although it would be hard to keep younger and older kids in sight at the same time. Would make a fun afternoon outing, with picnic (and maybe a bathing suit in midsummer) -- we had some good running-around silliness to complement our explorations of the play equipment.
Overall rating: 7

Decent space in the far NE: Holmes Rec Center

Playground: Holmes Recreation Center
Location: Holme Ave. and Willits Rd.
Date visited: 10/8/11

Equipment: Several pieces in one zone:

• Medium playset with miscellaneous climbing (including the barrel staves kind), a missing bridge, straight metal and curved (lower) plastic slides
  
• Medium playset with miscellaneous climbing, medium and tall straight metal slides, and an S-shaped stretch of monkey bars
  
• 4 strap swings, and 4 bucket swings

material: worn modern resin/metal; scale: medium
Ages: 1.5-10
Surface: rubbery around equipment; brick or grass elsewhere
Shade(0-3): 1
Water: N
Other: basektball, extensive fields (baseball, football, soccer), small rec. center building, extra grass
Access: not marked (gates were open early on a Saturday)

Impressions: Adequate but underinspired mix of equipment with some parts missing -- and no graffitti but some trash -- sandwiched between two major roads. (There might be a large school on the Academy Road side of the triangle that uses all of this too.) Nice to see so much grass -- good for kids who like to run around -- but nothing to draw anybody from far away.
Overall rating: 6-7