Ziehler playground: ample playground, could use some shade

Playground: Ziehler
Location: B St at Olney
Date visited: Jun. 17, 2013

Equipment:

• Smaller fenced-in zone with fun "firetruck" jungle gym (with low monkey bars) and a low playset with a tube slide (empties even with the ground), 2 medium straight slides, climbing, "tic-tac-toe" critters, and 4 bucket swings
• Zone for bigger kids with 4 strap swings (1 missing) and a higher playset with six slides (including straight, bumpy, spiral and tube slides, all plastic) and lots of climbing options

Ages: 1-9
Surface: rubbery amid blacktop
Shade(0-3): 0
Water: N
Other: basketball, baseball, and soccer fields; extra blacktop and grassy areas; colorful rec center with covered picnic area, swimming pool
Access: 10-6?

Impressions: This playground is a bit faded and worn (with some loose trash and graffiti), but actually offers reasonable play options for younger frolickers, in a setting of wide grassy ball fields.  Middle school across the street probably generates some weekday traffic, but lots of places for a shady picnic on the weekend.  The thing this space most needs is more shade, and there are several grassy squares in the pavement offering places to start a tree-planting project.

Overall rating: 6

Small playground in a large rec space -- Water Tower/Houston playground(s)

Playground: Water Tower Playground @ Harry Howard Houston Woodward Recreation Center
Location: Ardleigh Street at E. Hartwell Lane
Date visited: 3/2/13

Equipment: Two zones, on opposite sides of large building:

• The smaller zone (on the rec. center entrance side) has a free-standing "firetruck" jungle gym, a sand box, a small but fun old cement climbing shape, a playset with low slides (straight and curved plastic) and a jointed bridge, 4 bucket swings, and stretches of curved bench to walk along
  
• Larger-kid zone (on far side, where the water tower is in sight, near baseball field) has one main playset with tall straight and medium curvey and bumpy slides (all plastic), monkey bars, a solid bridge, and misc. climbing. Also in this area is a water zone consisting of a 5-foot stone wall with several sprayers (and a pleasant porous plastic footing).

material: modern resin/metal; scale: medium
Ages: 0-7
Surface: rubbery, sand
Shade(0-3): 3
Water: Y
Other: picnic tables, baseball field, large rec. center, basketball court, grassy areas, lots of tennis, some blacktop
Access: not marked (dawn to dusk?)

Impressions: Pretty fine conventional playground, but with less to interest of challenge school-age kids. Great overall recreational space, so good for combining a short clamber with running around in a big field, say...
Overall rating: 7

A woodsy wonderland in Chestnut Hill -- Jenks Playground

Playground: The Children's Park in Chestnut Hill at John Story Jenks Elementary School
Location: Germantown Ave. at E. Southampton
Date visited: 3/2/13

Equipment: Two large zones, separated by a walkway:

1. Smaller kid zone (to right of entrance) includes several large structures encompassing a balance beam, wide plastic slide, large horizontal tire swing/climber (semi-tethered), med-height monkey bars and stretch of rings, a large sandbox (including a number of toys) a climbing fort with a slide and crawl tunnels underneath, a sand table, a large "trolley" to drive, some tic-tac-toe-like games, a set of chimes, and nearby swings (2 bucket and one chair-style). Substantial sections of the play space are designed to be wheelchair-friendly.
   
   
2. Larger kid zone also has multiple structures, with a higher average height and complexity than the other zone (lots of steps, towers and platforms, benches). Specific elements include two tube slides (one spiral, one gently curved, both plastic), solid bridges, wander "hallways" under stairways, some challenge climbing (wobbly chain step ladder, rope net web, etc.), a chain bridge to walk along, a rappelling wall, a rubbery mat bridge, high monkey bars and a stretch of rings, a suspended balance beam, and a tall hanging bar.

material: wood beams, resinous "wood-like" planks; scale of space: large
Ages: 0-14
Surface: wood chips, mostly
Shade(0-3): 2
Water: N
Other: picnic tables, large paved play yard, basketball hoops
Access: open to the public outside of school hours = 3-9pm on school days and 8am-9pm on other days

Impressions: Built in 1997, this community playground on the grounds of an elementary school is a real winner. Unusual woodsy feel in the middle of Chestnut Hill -- wood chips and chunky wooden equipment give the feel of a rural wonderland to explore, and the variety (and age range) of equipment nearly defied cataloging. Truly great for crawlers to teens, weelchair-friendly, and even -- ahem -- quite fun for middle-aged parents. Worth a trip (and easy to combine with some shopping, especially at the nearby indoor Farmers' Market).
Overall rating: 10

61st & Baltimore Play Area: Cute park on the fringes of Cobbs Creek

Playground: Cobbs Creek 61st and Baltimore Play Area (yes, that's its official name!)
Location: Baltimore and 61st (not many parking spots here, but can turn N on 61th and park there)
Date visited: 11/11/12

Equipment:

• Tall playset with platforms, arched bridge, 4 ladders (including one habitrail-style), 3 metal slides (short, medium-wide, spiral), shop counter, ground-high benches, crawl-through circle
• Free-standing clamber, sort of like monkey bars in a circle
• 4 strap swings, 2 bucket swings
• Grasshopper rocker -- works nicely, appealing-looking

Ages: 1-7
Surface: rubbery wood chips
Shade(0-3): 2
Water: N
Other: basketball court (maybe lit), park w/grills and picnic tables, Caribbean restaurant w/water ice across the street, trolley turnaround for vehicle-ogling entertainment, car wash
Access: 24/7

Impressions: Nice smallish park on busy avenue and end of Cobbs Creek Park.  Equipment in good shape.  Not super extensive but enough to entertain for 15-30 minutes
Overall rating: 7

Cute rambly zone on the edge of Cobbs Creek Park: Papa playground

Playground: Papa Playground
Location: 68th & Landsdowne
Date visited: May 19, 2012

Equipment:

• Medium playset with hanging rings, bounce/balance pad, crawl-through hoop and tube, two slides (double straight, tall spiral), fireman's pole, shop window
• 4 strap swings
• tot lot with micro-playset (steps and a small plastic slide), telescope, bus wheel, teeter-totter (works well!), hobby horse (semi-broken), 4 swings (2 strap, 2 strap)
• little hills between two zones to clamber up and down

Ages: 0-8
Surface: rubbery/chips/grass
Shade(0-3): 2
Water: N
Other: football field, baseball field, extra grassy areas, rec center, water ice shop across the street
Access: Open, but presumably subject to standard rec center hours

Impressions: A cute little playspot in the midst of grassy parks and busy ball fields.  Good for a little recharge, or a quiet outing with picnic possibilities and water ice/ice cream across the street.  Not extensive, but decent variety of stuff and what's there is nice.
Overall rating: 8

Fun but needs upkeep: Mitchell Elementary playground

Playground: Mitchell Elementary
Location: Kingsessing & 55th (enter on Kings.)
Date visited: 4/28/12

Equipment: Several pieces:

• Very large playset has two solid and one jointed bridge; small, medium, and large straight metal slides; lots of climbing; and an array of toys underneath (abacus, crawl-through hole, shop windows, seating areas)
• Complex monkey bar zone: several long stretches that join at a hoop in the middle; there are also some stepping-stone stools here
• A small playset has a solid bridge, wide metal slide (straight), musical chimes
• Two freestanding basketball buckets
• Space for six swings, all gone

material: modern resin/metal; scale: large school lot
Ages: 1-12
Surface: rubbery tiles; blacktop away from play equipment
Shade(0-3): 0
Water: N
Other: lots of blacktop areas, tiled cement "bleachers" at far end could be fun to walk along
Access: ? (presumably, outside school hours?)

Impressions: Pretty well-designed equipment offers something for a range of ages (including some elements new to us), but completely exposed lot wouldn't be too fun in hot weather. Also, missing swings and large trash-collecting gaps in the play surface (a drawback to the tile system of surfacing) detract from its charms.
Overall rating: 7

New and creative: 12th and Cambria Playground

Playground: 12 & Cambria Playground
Location: 12 Street between Cambria and Indiana
Date visited: 3/10/12

Equipment: Several pieces in a medium space:

• Small playset has good types of climbing, a solid bridge, 2 straight metal slides, and a bench underneath
  
• Larger playset has miscellaneous climbing, a stretch of modern spinning monkey bar rings, tall metal slides (1 straight and 1 spiral), toddler bits underneath (bench, shop window, crawl-through hoop), and a section of funky pyramidal rope climbing net
  
• A row of raised "stepping stone" platforms
  
• Swings = 4 strap + 4 bucket

material: modern resin & metal (except rope tangle)

Ages: 1-12
Surface: rubbery around equipment; cement elsewhere
Shade(0-3): 1
Water: N
Other: pool, basketball, baseball field, chess tables, rec. center
Access: fenced, but no signs

Impressions: Colorful and varied equipment looks brand new and very inviting, and offers fun for a range of ages. Worth a visit, especially for anybody with enthusiastic climbers, since the rope tangle can offer novel challenges to various skill levels. Will be nice when the new trees are large enough to offer more shade... Some blowing trash.
Overall rating: 8-9

Great play and sprayground options: Shepard Rec. Center

Playground: Shepard Rec. Center
Location: 57th at Westminster (just south of Haverford)
Date visited: 12/31/11

Equipment: Three zones in sight of one another:

1. New-looking sprayground (fenced) with large colorful towers; looks like several sources of spray
   
   
2. Smaller kid playground area includes (a) 2 hobby horses (zebra and dolphin) that actually rocked (!); (b) a new-looking playset: climbing wall, barrel stave climbing, hanging bar, low (5-ft) monkey bars, solid bridge, crawl-through mesh tunnel, three straight metal slides, and misc. climbing; (c) 4 bucket swings.
   
   
3. Higher playset has novel types of challenging climbing (a twisting ladder, another that I can't describe!), 2 high straight metal slides and 1 wavy plastic one, a fire pole, solid bridge, straight (6-foot) monkey bars, and more. Also 4 strap swings here, although 2 broken.

material: modern; scale: large
Ages: 1-12
Surface: rubbery around equipment; cement and grass elsewhere
Shade(0-3): 1
Water: Y!
Other: pool, baseball field, tennis, basketball, large grassy area, picnic tables (including some covered), large rec. building
Access: not posted (dawn to dusk?)

Impressions: Recently renovated and inviting playground offers a great range of options for all ages, from crawlers to more advanced scramblers, faced by houses on one side and a SEPTA bus garage on the other. Sprayground was off-season a our visit, but looks intriguing and made us want to come back. Shaded picnic tables and expanses of grass make this a good option for a longer family outing, and young trees offer promise of increasing shade over the play equipment. Worth a visit!
Overall rating: 9

Deserves its name: Hillside Rec. Center

Playground: Hillside Recreation Center
Location: Fountain St. near Fowler
Date visited: 10/16/11

Equipment: A tightly packed bunch of pieces:

• Two hobby horses (horse and toucan)
  
• A low playset with curved plastic and wide metal slides, misc. climbing
  
• 4 bucket swings and 4 strap swings
  
• A cement climbing turtle (with handholds on top and a tunnel underneath), old but loved
  
• A higher playset with climbing of various kinds, a high spiral plastic slide and a single metal slide, fireman's pole

material: modern resin/metal; scale: small
Ages: 1-8
Surface: rubbery around equipment; blacktop elsewhere
Shade(0-3): 0
Water: N
Other: basketball, swimming pool, picnic tables, rec. building
Access: (not posted)

Impressions: Decent neighborhood tot lot combined with pool and sports spaces. Nothing broken or missing, but not inspired either, and completely lacking in shade. Nearby elementary school probably uses it some. No houses nearby -- the recreation space is wedged into a slice of land between hard-to-build jungly hillsides, but parking is free on the other side of Fountain Road (and the Ivy Ridge train station is nearby too).
Overall rating: 6-7

Hissey Center: zone for the smaller set in Kensington

Playground: Hissey Center

Location: Indiana Ave. & Budinot St.

Date visited: 10/1/11

Equipment:

• Medium-height small platform with straight metal slide and several ladders
• Several cement climbing animals ranging from a foot-high turtle (perfect for crawlers) to a standing turtle, and sitting elephant & camel
• Four bucket swings
• Higher playset with miscellaneous climbing and 1 tall straight metal slide
• Several large zones of rubbery surface with no equipment (maybe used to have 1 set of swings and 1 other piece?)

material: modern res/metal; scale: large

Ages: 0-7

Surface: rubbery, separated by blacktop

Shade(0-3): 2

Water: N

Other: basketball, baseball field (?) and extra grass, extra blacktop

Access: (not posted)

Impressions: Nicely shaded playground looks a little forgotten--missing equipment makes you think less of the small pieces that remain. In fact, what's here is probably pretty good for the smallest set (especially toddlers), although some broken glass may keep crawlers from playing at liberty here.

Overall rating: 5

A wooded escape: Allen's Lane Park

Playground: Allen's Lane Park playground
Location: Allen's Lane between McCallum and Green (can enter from the street or park near the Art Center)
Date visited: 9/3/11

Equipment: Multiple pieces of equipment scattered within one longish zone (a little like a summer camp obstacle course):

1. A small climbing net/rope wall
   
2. A set of tunnel tubes elevated around 1 foot off the ground on half rubber tires
   
3. Hanging bars at two heights
   
4. A narrow, curved balance beam
   
5. A small playset, made of wood, including a jointed bridge, treehouse, two low plastic slides, a steering wheel, a set of lowish (4 ft?) wide monkey bars, and a small climbing wall
   
6. The taller playset has a tall spiral and a lower curved (plastic) slides, misc. climbing, a fireman's pole, and "shop windows" underneath
   
7. A zip-line set-up
   
8. 4 bucket swings, 2 plank swings, and a horizontally mounted tire swing (set by itself)

material: modern or as marked; scale: large
Ages: 1-10
Surface: wood chips around equipment; grass elsewhere
Shade(0-3): 3
Water: N
Other: picnic tables, tennis courts, basketball (far side of art center)
Access: 6AM-10PM

Impressions: A nice range of equipment in a cool and inviting wooded setting, with offerings for crawlers through tweens, and places for parents to stroll, sit, picnic, or play tennis. Cool on a hot day, with rich plantings and a summer campy feel that made us want to linger. Worth a trip.
Overall rating: 9

A local Northwest favorite: Cloverly Park

Playground: Cloverly Park
Location: Wissahickon at School House Lane
Date visited: 9/3/11

Equipment: Several pieces in a quadrant of the park:

• Swings: 4 bucket (well shaded) and 4 strap
  
• A stegosaurus playset for tots, comprising 2 straight plastic slides, misc. easier climbing, and playspace/tunnels underneath
  
• A larger playset has a long curved stretch of monkey bars, a zip line, two medium bumpy and one high curved slides (all plastic), a "bottomless" rail slide, and good climbing
  
• A little toddler-sized table and chairs, not permanent but clearly long-time residents, were right nearby

material: modern resin/metal; scale: medium space
Ages: 1-12
Surface: woodchips around equipment; grass elsewhere
Shade(0-3): 2
Water: N
Other: picnic table, large grassy area, mature trees (some of which seem climbable by older kids)
Access: open park (dawn to dusk?)

Impressions: Small, well-kept neighborhood park with lots of soft grass and a mix of beautiful mature trees (some of which sparked our climbing urges, to no avail) and scattered flower gardens. Deceptively simple equipment is in fact well chosen, with offerings for a range of ages. A good place for a picnic and/or a leisurely afternoon...
Overall rating: 8-9

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

Friendly but shadeless: Nelson playground

Playground: Nelson
Location: Cumberland between 3rd and 4th (gates on several sides)
Date visited: 6/18/11

Equipment: Several zones jumbled together:

• A large and cheerful cement "ship" set into the ground with platforms and rails to climb about on
• A water area = sunken square of cement with a pole for spray (off at visit)
• 4 bucket and 4 strap swings
• Taller play structure has several kinds of climbing, 1 tall metal slide, and monkey bars
• Smaller play structure has miscellanious climbing, 1 straight metal slide

One corner of the lot is given over to community gardens that are apparently run by students
Ages: 1-9?
Surface: rubbery/blacktop
Shade(0-3): 1
Water: Y
Other: picnic tables (full size, and mini/kid size under a missing roof), basketball, rec. center with covered area, mural, and bike rack
Access: 6am-10pm listed

Impressions: Lack of shade is a problem here, but for a smallish park the offerings are good in variety, and the shady tables seem welcoming for a family outing. A small amount of wear and graffitti, but beter off than others nearby (no trash, and a team was whacking weeds during our weekend visit). The cement ocean liner seems like a draw for groups of kids with a creative bent.
Overall rating: 6-7

Gem just around the corner from the zoo: Clemens & Lewis

Playground: Clemens & Lewis

Location: 38th & Poplar (just South of Girard)

Date visited: Jun. 11, 2011

Equipment:

• Small kids' zone features a fire truck playset (low hanging bars, clambering tires, slide, and a raised platform), as well as 4 bucket swings, 2 hobby horses (1 of which actually worked, unlike most we've seen), and a longish low tunnel
• Big kids' zone included a large playset (many ladders, several bridges, 3 slides--including 1 turning slide--2 "ladder bridges", climbing wall, and loop monkey bars), 2 1-person "spinners" mounted on the ground, and 4 strap swings

Ages: 1-10

Surface: rubberized by play areas

Shade(0-3): 1 (only on bigger kids' playset)

Water: Y? broken-looking dragon sprayer

Other: 4 small picnic tables, basketball court, lots of bike-riding space (including sloped wall behind basketball court), rec center

Access: Posted Rec Dept hours: 9 AM- 10:30 PM summer, 2-10:30 PM otherwise

Impressions: A bit rundown/weedy, but equipment is in good shape. The small kids' zone is not extensive, but the fire truck is a nice apparatus (may be slightly biased by the fact that our child is currently obsessed with low monkey bars). Big kids' zone is quite large with a fun range of equipment. Setting is not too scenic -- up against train tracks, and the particular block you can see from the playground is a bit rundown, but it's a cozy small neighborhood tucked among the train tracks, Rte. 76, and the zoo.

Overall rating: 8-9

A hidden nook for smaller kids: Shissler Recreation Center

Playground: Daniel Shissler Recreation Center
Location: 1 block west of Frankford (=Blair) between Berks and Montgomery; right behind Kensington Performing Arts High School
Date visited: 5/29/11

Equipment: Two apparent zones:

• One appears to be a water zone, with a cement surface and three cement animals set up as sprayers. (Smallest turtles might offer something to the crawler set even when off.) Trickles of water indicated that these should be functional, but they were not spraying at the time of our visit
• Playzone has (1) a smaller playset with several types of climbing (including a large arch of barrel-slat ladder good for newer climbers) and a set of double metal slides; (2) the larger playset has tall monkey bars, various climbing, and another set of double metal (straight) slides

material: modern resin & metal; scale: small
Ages:1-9
Surface: rubbery around equipment; cement elsewhere
Shade(0-3): 2
Water: Y
Other: rec center, basketball courts, large baseball field (marked "closed until August 2011"), large new parking lot (shared with the highschool? for baseball?), grassy lot across the street
Access: 6am - 10pm

Impressions: Small and limited to younger kids (except, perhaps, the monkey bars), but servicable for those. No swings is a minus; water could be nice, but no idea when it runs. Out of the way enough that it probably appeals mostly to those who live nearby, or who make a stop at the Berks station of the Market-Frankford line (accessible by a paved path).
Overall rating: 6-

Outskirts of Temple I: Dendy Recreation Center

Playground: Marie Dendy rec. center playground
Location: 10th between Jefferson and Oxford
Date visited: 8/28/10

Equipment: One continuous zone with several play structures:

1. A freestanding metal slide, around 4ft. high
   
2. A large playset with lots of climbing bits and one tall (6-ft) metal slide
   
3. A small playset (platforms around 3ft. tall) with several types of climbing and two plastic slides -- one wide and straight, the other curved
   
4. A neat sculpture with three sleek metal dolphins (good for young climbers) circling a central structure (somewhat vertebral in appearance) -- could be a fountain/sprayer, but not contained in any sort of pool, so might or might not be functional
   
5. A swing set with space for 4 swings, but only 1 bucket was present at time of visit (other spaces empty)

Ages: 1-7
Surface: rubbery around equipment; blacktop elsewhere
Shade(0-3): 2
Water: ?
Other: basketball (lots), grassy field with baseball diamond(s), rec. center building, pool, tennis courts with no nets, blacktop areas (hopscotch squares)
Access: not posted (= dawn to dusk?)

Impressions: Serviceable equipment in a pleasant shady space with varied space for play and meandering. Lack of swings a definite minus, cute sculpture and possible water a plus. Little kids might enjoy the dolphins. Space could hold a lot of activity, but nobody was there on a pleasant Sunday morning; still, seems a great neighborhood resource.
Overall rating: 6

Great for clambering but needs more: Sacks Playground

Playground: Sacks Playground
Location: 4th and Federal (entrance on corner)
Date visited: 7/25/10 (early Sunday morning)

Equipment: Two jungle gyms -- one short and fairly long, accessible by steps or various ladders/climbing walls, including a bridge but no slides (!); the other basically just a tall tower, accessible by two tall ladders and with a spiral slide. Shorter jungle gym also includes a cool racing car game (two cars run around a track when you turn a crank), but partially broken (only one car moves smoothly). Fairly large free-standing climbing wall, including low tunnels to crawl through. Low multi-tunnel crawling area. Two-foot high stone turtle with many footholds for climbing. 8-foot tall tower for climbing. Two strap swings.

Ages: 1-8 years
Surface: Rubberized foam throughout
Shade(0-3): 2
Water: No
Other: Public pool, large ball field, basketball courts, extra blacktop and grass; another large park across 4th Street
Access: Dawn to dusk? Fenced in, but gate open at 4th and Federal when visited at 7:30 AM on a Sunday, so presumably open most of the time?

Impressions: Appealing and novel set of equipment, with quite a few options for smaller children. Clean with a nice playing surface. Between the multiple climbing walls, tall climbing structure, usual ladders on jungle gyms, and tunnels and turtle, good clambering options for all ages. However, a glaring lack of slides -- the main jungle gym has none! -- you climb up and then need to climb back down. The one slide is only accessible by a pair of tall ladders, not good for younger children, at least not without assistance. It appears that there was once a connection between the two jungle gyms, which would explain the lack of slide for the one, but now there is a boarded-up circular hole at the end of each. Another glaring lack -- no bucket swings, and indeed only two strap swings. Overall, it feels like a pleasant environment that is in need of just a bit more development -- dealing somehow with the boarded-up ends of the jungle gym, for example. If that happened, this would be a very nice playground -- already it has a nice feel and an above-average variety of climbing possibilities.
Overall rating: 6 (higher than that in terms of feel and climbing options, but some glaring deficiencies in terms of slides and swings)

An abandoned playzone: East Poplar playground

Playground: East Poplar
Location: On 8th Street, W side, between Poplar and Brown (closer to Brown) -- entrances on 8th and from under train bridge (W)
Date visited: 11/18/09

Equipment: Three loose zones:

• One would be good for crawlers and small tots -- it involves two low cement climbing turtles and an abstract sculptural element in-between. The turtles appear to be water elements/squirters, but the presence of a climbing object between them may mean that they're no longer functional. (There was nobody around to ask.)
  
• A small kids zone has two slides, some climbing equipment, and a stretch of monkey bars. There is also a bar for swings, but with nothing hanging there.
  
• An area for slightly larger kids has two structures: (a) a two-level playset with a wide metal slide at each height and some monkey bars, and (b) an intriguing pair of "lookout towers" that could each be climbed via an internal "submarine-style" ladder; however, the (tunnel) walkway connecting them is missing, leaving an alarming gap. There's also a stand for 4 swings in this area, but there aren't even chains hanging there.

material: modern "resin and metal" style, but very worn, with cracked coatings; scale: medium space.
Ages: 1-5?
Surface: rubbery uner equipment, blacktop elsewhere
Shade(0-3): 1
Water: ?
Other: pool, basketball courts, tennis courts, picnic tables, a large grassy area, rec. center
Access: dawn to dusk? (no gates)

Impressions: Lots of color here, but desperately needs some love in terms of both upkeep and variety -- our 21-month-old was barely challenged by the "bigger kids" equipment (although she loved the taller slide). The complete lack of swings is really a sin -- feels like a concession of defeat. It may be that this location is a little outside of any particular neighborhood (it's between the train bridge and an Orthodox church, with houses a block or two away), such that there's nobody to advocate for this playground and demand reasonable upkeep, but surely the area could use better options.
Overall rating: 3

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