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Durham region
​playground reviews

Avondale Park

8/31/2017

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Picture
Area: East Courtice

Age Range: 18 months and up

Parking:  some street parking on Avondale Drive

Ground Cover: mulch

Main Equipment:
  • 5 slides
  • 2 swings
  • 2 infant swings
  • 1 rock climbing wall
  • 2 fireman poles (1 is toddler sized!)
  • 1 standing spinner
  • 1 sitting spinner

Accessibility Features: sitting spinner, talking tubes

Facilities/Other:
  • Splash Pad 
  • 2 Tennis Courts

Surrounding Park Area: A green space with a circle of sitting boulders between the playground and tennis courts

Seating: 1 park bench facing the playground by the larger play structure, 4 park benches under the shade structure, rounded hills of interlock bricks along the playground fence, and sitting boulder area beside the playground

Shade: none over the playground itself, but some over the interlock hill from the surrounding trees, shade structure over 4 park benches, and surrounding tree shade behind the playground

Overall assessment: We like that there is a fence along the back of the playground that runs along Avondale Drive so it's easier to watch running toddlers at this park. When we visited the smaller play structure tube connecting both halves was not there (we assumed damaged and was removed for safety) but each half still had climbers or stairs and a slide so it was fun to explore and use. The best part about the toddler play structure was the miniature firepole! Our preschooler knew exactly what to do and dared to approach and reach out all on her own to slide down it (see video below). The interlock hill along the fence of the playground reminded us of parks we visited in Japan because it had many toddlers crawling up and exploring balance on the bumpy surface. This is a great park to spend a picnic at because of the adjacent soft surfaced splash pad.
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Haskell Playground

8/28/2017

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Picture
Area: North Ajax

Age Range: 2 yrs to 5 yrs (suggested by the equipment manufacturer)
​
Parking: street parking on McQueen Crescent

Ground Cover:  mulch

Main Equipment:
  • 2 metal slides 
  • 1 swing
  • 1 infant swing
  • 2 sitting spinners

Accessibility Features: none

Facilities/Other:
  • supposedly in the winter the town has set up an ice rink in the green space beside the playground

Surrounding Park Area: a small green space beside the playground 

Seating: no park benches beside the playground, 2 park benches further down in the park by the green space (guessing they are good for lacing up skates in the winter for the ice rink), one bench picnic table in the park by the green space and one accessible picnic table facing the swings 

Shade: no shade over the playground, very limited shade in the surrounding trees (until they grow taller)


Overall assessment: A great neighborhood park with enough space to keep young children entertained for a couple of hours. Bring a soccer ball and small net and make the best of this park by enjoying a picnic at one of the two picnic tables too.
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Clearside Park

8/28/2017

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Picture
Area: East Pickering

Age Range: 2 yrs and up
​
Parking: street parking on Liatris Drive

Ground Cover:  mulch

Main Equipment:
  • 2 slides 
  • 2 sitting spinners
  • 1 rock 'n cross teeter totter monkey bars (how to use it video!)

Accessibility Features: none

Facilities/Other:
  • none

Surrounding Park Area: a small hill behind the playground 

Seating: 2 park benches facing the play structure 

Shade: a little late day shade over parts of the playground, some shade in the surrounding trees


Overall assessment: Another great small neighborhood tot lot with a single climbing structure and toddler slides. The rock 'n cross teeter totter is a great arm workout for parents when smaller kids are riding it and can't trigger the movement on their own! 
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Creekside Park

8/28/2017

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Picture
Area: East Pickering

Age Range: 2 yrs and up
​
Parking: street parking on Liatris Drive

Ground Cover:  mulch

Main Equipment:
  • 2 slides 
  • 1 rock climbing wall
  • 1 balance climbing wall
  • 2 standing spinners
  • 2 sitting spinners
  • 1 rocking airplane
  • multiple climbing apparatus

Accessibility Features: none

Facilities/Other:
  • 1 soccer pitch

Surrounding Park Area: a small green space behind the playground 

Seating: 4 park benches facing the play structure 

Shade: no shade over the playground, very limited shade in the surrounding trees (until they grow taller)


Overall assessment: A great park for older kids to climb, balance, and run around. Even though there is the smaller play structure, the younger kids still want to go up the 'big kid slide' which is a bit tricky to climb up to because of the off set ladder. It took a bit of help each time from mom and after that the small slide was almost forgotten. The rock climbing wall was definitely a hit and scaled easily by our little preschooler! This is a rare park where my arms get a break from pushing swings!
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Greenfield Park

8/25/2017

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Picture
Area: East Whitby

Age Range: 18 months and up
​
Parking: limited street parking on Greenfield Crescent (although we did park at the Passport Office building and walked over)

Ground Cover:  sand

Main Equipment:
  • 3 slides 
  • 1 swing
  • 1 infant swing
  • 1 sand scoop digger
  • 1 stationary car climber
  • multiple climbing apparatus

Accessibility Features: none

Facilities/Other:
  • none

Surrounding Park Area: a small green space behind the playground 

Seating: 1 park bench facing the play structure (not the swings)

Shade: no shade over the playground, some shade in the surrounding trees


Overall assessment: A hidden neighborhood park that is perfect for the kids to burn off some steam. If you have someone who loves to dig sand, this is a good spot to go to! We greatly appreciated the fact that this park is literally right behind the Whitby Passport office (in case someone has to go there and there is a looooong boring wait for the kids).
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Durham Region Playground Reviews

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  • Long Live Outdoor Play
    • FAQ
    • Favourite Links
    • About Me, Jennifer
    • About Valerie
  • Our Reviews
    • Playground Reviews >
      • Top 10 Infant & Toddler Friendly Playgrounds
      • Top 10 Accessible Playgrounds
      • Top 10 Parks with Shade
      • Canada's 150 coolest playgrounds
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      • Top 10 Splash Pads
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