Snaking through the neighborhood: West Mill Creek playground

Playground: West Mill Creek rec. center
Location: at 51st on Parrish (which dead-ends into it from east and west)
Date visited: 7/24/11

Equipment: Several pieces:

• Low playset with various climbing (including a ladder of steps), jointed bridge, double metal slide


• High playset with miscellaneous climbing, including two submarine-style central ladders, a jointed bridge, spiral metal slide, curve of monkey bar rings, two low and one medium metal slides, and a balance platform (also something missing -- a bridge? -- leaving one low platform stranded/pointless nearby)


• Smallest playset has solid bridge and curved plastic slide (along with climbing)


• Tons of swings (6 strap and 6 bucket), several broken, most wrapped around pole

All modern equipment, relatively compact, although there is a water zone SE of the main playground (circular cement area with sprayer pole) and other rec. zones N and S
Ages: 1-9?
Surface: rubbery around equip; blacktop elsewhere
Shade(0-3): 0
Water: Y (beyond main playground)
Other: little rec. building, square picnic tables, ball field, basketball
Access: 9am-10:30p (2-10:30 winter)

Impressions: Charming nook playground and recreation space winds its way in a gap between dead-end/turnaround streets. Lots of offerings, some creative, but appears poorly looked after -- no graffitti or trash, but tangled swings and understaffed rec. center (a local asked me how to get somebody to turn the water feature on during the heat wave!) makes this less useful for neighbors than it otherwise would be. Still, it speaks well for the creativity of the Parks Department to find such narrow holes in residential zones to turn into fun outlets for kids.
Overall rating: 7

Some shade for tots: Mill Creek playground

Playground: Mill Creek rec. center
Location: Brown & 47th (SW corner)
Date visited: 7/24/11

Equipment: Three zones:

1. Large playset with medium height monkey bars (curved upward! ack!), a solid bridge, misc. climbing, and 2 tall straight metal slides. Also here a freestanding old-fashioned metal jungle gym piece and space for several strap swings (none present), and some additional blacktop.


2. Smaller kid zone, fenced: a low playset with a wide metal slide, barrel slat-style climbing, a low hanging bar, etc. Also two bucket swings in this area.


3. Water zone between the others (but closer to the tot zone) -- cement circle ringed with cement benches, one central dandelion-shaped sprayer (not yet on at time of visit).

material: modern resin/metal; scale: med. playspace in a larger recreation zone
Ages: 1-9
Surface: rubbery around equipment; blacktop elsewhere
Shade(0-3): 1 (smaller kids zone + water)
Water: Y
Other: pool (full: free swim 2-5, family swim 6-7; overall 11-7 weekdays and 1-6 weekends), basketball, large grassy/baseball field, colorful rec. center, small square cement tables with chairs
Access: summer 9:00am-10:30pm; winter 2p-10:30p

Impressions: Decent equipment in the setting of a pleasant rec. center and lot. No obvious graffitti or trash issues, but the missing strap swings speak to some level of neglect or abuse. Nicely shaded tot zone and promising water feature (also mostly shaded, a rarity). Also nice to see a full pool for a change!
Overall rating: 6

Two play lots among three towers: Lee Park complex

Playground: Lee Park playground(s)
Location: from Powelton, take Holden and loop behind towers (to right) on unnamed road to parking right near playground
Date visited: 7/24/11

Equipment: Two small fenced playgrounds, in sight of one another:

• Higher playset, colorful -- 4 plastic slides of various heights (1 curved, 1 spiral), monkeybar rings (2 sets), two longish tunnel bridges, various climbing including a metal rope net, shop window underneath, and ball bearing toy.


• Smaller playset -- 1 set of double straight plastic slides and one single, tunnel bridge, ball bearing toy, climb-through hoops underneath, some simple climbing

material: modern resin/metal/plastic; scale: small play spaces in larger area of grass and walkways
Ages: 1-10 (larger), 1-4 (smaller)
Surface: rubbery throughout
Shade(0-3): 0
Water: N
Other: lots of grassy areas with shade, tennis (without nets); also nearby Drexel sports complex
Access: open (dawn to desk)

Impressions: Loose trash is blowing throughout this extensive housing complex (three tall towers), but the two playgrounds offer a colorful and inviting outlet for kids. Overall offerings a little slim, and lack of swings seems a major oversight, but the tunnel bridges are unusual and nice for both bigger kids and for crawlers.
Overall rating: 6