(I don't like writing negative reviews, but this constructive criticism below hopefully can help…read moreimprove this playground one day).
I was so excited to check out this newly built playground, and I could not have been more disappointed. There is just no way this playground was planned with input from experts or parents :(
One of the main problems is that this 1 playground is actually separated into 2 playgrounds, 1 for younger children and one for older children. This would be fine if they were adjacent, but they are not; in fact, one playground cannot be seen from the other! Instead they are separated by a sidewalk (not fenced in and completely open to the road,) and due to a tall building and a slight corner turn, there is no way to see one playground from the other playground and vice versa. Therefore, 1 parent or caretaker cannot separate different aged children and watch both at the same time.
Thus, the little playground is empty - because there is nothing here for older kids to do, while the older kid playground is chock full of little children, who are stuck with their older siblings. Not only are the littles using playground equiptment that is too old for them, several spinning apparatus consistently knocked over the younger kids once the piece started spinning. Also, the little playground is a bigger space than the older kids playground, despite all the kids being on the bid kid playground.
Parent seating: there is no place for parents inside the fenced playground. There are benches placed outside of the fence for the parents, which is a terrible terrible practice. Now kids are falling over crying and their parents are on a bench outside of the playground.
Lack of gate signs: The entrances to the gate of the playground are unmarked. Not a single sign or indicator or where or how to open the playground gate doors. Thus, it is very difficult to get in if you are a parent sitting on an outside bench, because the entire gate looks the same.
Lack of signage: there are no signs on the little playground that faces the adjacent playground that indicates: name of playground, what the hours of the playground are, etc. Nothing! considering that the playground fence is physically attached to the back of the Old School Museum building, it is very unclear that this is in fact a public playground open to anyone, instead of a privately owned playspace. Also, there are no signs at each individual playground sharing the info that the other playground is around the corner.
More poor planning: inside the big kids playground is a fenced storage area. This is not for kids, but for some reason it is actually inside of their fenced in playground. This makes absolutely no sense. Presumable some non-kid-friendly items live inside here, perhaps a trash bin or tools or chemicals? It would be so so easy for bored kids to climb this fence and go inside, or for someone to leave the door cracked or unlocked. I have never ever seen such strange planning for adult equipment to be kept inside a play space for kids. This playground is across from city hall and adjacent to municipal buildings, yet the only place for this hazardous stuff is inside the playground?
Poor equipment: this playground may have been only a year old and already there is rust marks on most of the climbing material, one of the 2 very popular spinning pieces are broken. Also, the equipment is just not that fun. Having so many individual play pieces causes frustration and competition amongst the kids, and it would have made more sense to have communal pieces. This has to be some of the worst and unimaginitive play pieces I've seen of any playgrounds ever. And, no swings.
And more: Lots of empty space inside, with zero nature, no trees or anything and no shade at all either.