Fun but a little exposed: Gathers Rec. Center playground

Playground: Hank Gathers, Jr., playground
Location: Diamond at Glenwood (near 25th)
Date visited: 8/6/11

Equipment: One zone containing several pieces:

• The lower playset is very low, with a wide straight and a curved plastic slide, tic-tac-toe


• The higher playset has 4-6-foot platforms, a long straight metal slide, misc. climbing, and a fireman's pole.


• 4 bucket and 4 strap swings


• A water sprayer zone (single tall pole, not on at visit)

material: modern resin/metal; scale: medium space
Ages: 1-8
Surface: rubbery/blacktop
Shade(0-3): 0
Water: Y
Other: basketball, grassy areas, pool, ball field, blacktop, rec. center
Access: not posted

Impressions: Decent set of offerings in a pleasant setting, but very short on shade; some recently planted trees may help in a few years (if they get enough water to get established). Equipment is weathered but not graffittied or broken. Good for a range of ages, but not best callenges for the older set. Note: water ice and ribs both available across the street!
Overall rating: 7

A pleasant gateway to the Park: Mander playground

Playground: Mander Playground
Location: on 33rd at Diamond
Date visited: 8/6/11

Equipment: Three main sections:

1. A playset with 4-5-foot platforms, misc. climbing, a straight metal slide, monkey bars, and a curved plastic slide. Also 4 strap swings in this area.


2. A pair of cement seals = crossed water sprayers.


3. A playset with 3-4-foot platforms, a solid bridge, lower climbing, and two metal slides (one low and curved and one straight and wide). Set of 4 bucket swings here (1 missing).

material: modern resin/metal; scale: large space
Ages: 1-6
Surface: rubbery around equipment; blacktop elsewhere
Shade(0-3): 1
Water: Y
Other: picnic tables, basketball court, large ball field (baseball and soccer), muraled rec. center, tennis, pool (full at visit), extra blacktop... transitions into the fields of Fairmount Park.
Access: no gates (presumably dawn to dusk)

Impressions: Large playground connected to an extensive park recreation zone (that shades into the fields of Fairmount Park). Colorful and busy, but the playsets are pretty low and lacking in challenges/fun for older kids (other than one stretch of monkey bars). Easy to combine with the pool, a picnic, or any other Park-friendly activity.
Overall rating: 7

More stuff than a kid can take in: Smith playground

Playground: Smith Kids Playplace
Location: (see website) Fairmount Park, off Kelly Drive (north of the zoo)
Date visited: 8/23/09

Equipment: Several zones, divided by age and type of play:

• Tot lot (0-5), just reopened after a major renovation, has playhouses, a train, firetruck, large pirate ship to climb and slide down from, rocking horses (et al) on springs, an enclosed (with ropes) merry-go-rounds, low animals that are xylophones, a crawler/toddler playhouse/maze, bucket and strap (and recliner) swings, cup seat spinners, and fiberglass climbing rocks. It's all brand new, made of coated wood or plastic.
  
• Several medium age zones (one up front, one in the back) with adventure-style rubber and metal things to climb and spin on (and a larger version of the merry-go-round) as well as various modern teeter-totter equivalents and a rubbery balance beam.
  
• A gigantic (easily 50 feet across) suspended mesh of climbing ropes with a platform or trampoline in its center.
  
• Zone of swings including bucket and strap styles, but also horizontal tire swings and soft platform swings that could hold several kids or one star-gazer.

material: as described above; scale: huge with several zones
Ages: 0-10 (enforced, or I'd say middle school)
Surface: rubbery composite, very cushy
Shade(0-3): 1 (but lots of new trees)
Water: N
Other: Indoor playhouse for kids up to 5 years old (not visited this time), bathrooms with changing tables (in both), covered large wooden slide with burlap sacks for sliding down (not too huge for toddlers), extensive shaded grassy areas
Access: 10-7 on peak summer weekends; 10-4 most of the spring and fall (see website for specifics); closed Mondays and in the winter

Impressions: This place is to most playgrounds what Disney Land is to a local carnival. There is just So Much More. Our todller ran around in the tot lot with some mix of joy and overwhelmedness at the options. Lots of kids on a hot summer day (all shapes, colors, and sizes) but felt like hardly any. Lots of trees (and backing woods) make it feel like you're far from civilization, although it will be a while before the newer trees get large enough to shade the renovated play areas. Note that there are no trashcans in the playgrounds, so you are expected to "pack out" any snack remnants and other detritus (and actually consume food in restricted areas); also no cellphone use is allowed (to keep your attention on your young charges).
Overall rating: 10