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Durham region
​playground reviews

Ernie L. Stroud Park

7/22/2018

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Picture
Area: Southwest Pickering

Age Range: toddler and up

Parking:  some street parking on Steeple Hill 

Ground Cover: mulch

Main Equipment:
  • 5 slides
  • 1 swing
  • 1 infant swing
  • 2 vehicle stations
  • 1 bus stop play area (under the toddler play structure)

Accessibility Features: vehicle stations, talking tubes

Facilities/Other:
  • water efficient native perennial garden (with sign)
  • carved ash bench installation

Surrounding Park Area: A small green space behind the playground, a small water efficient native perennial garden in front of the playground and a walking trail

Seating: 2 benches right beside the small play structure, large carved ash tree bench behind the big playground structure, and a few park benches throughout the rest of the park around the walking trail

Shade: none over the playground, lots of shade in the surrounding trees throughout the park

Overall assessment: A great park for toddlers and older siblings as there is enough to do for everyone. With the walking trail behind the park, it can make for quite an outing if you are looking for more to explore. The carved ash tree bench was almost more popular for my two little ones than the playground was itself, so make sure to take a moment to climb over there too! If you are looking for an example of native perennial plants, there is a perfect water efficient example here with an informative sign (I will be sure to make note of changes I can make to my own garden during these hot summers in the future). 
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Frenchman's Bay Ratepayers Memorial Park

6/14/2018

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Picture
Area:   Southeast Pickering

Age Range: best for 5 to 10 years

Parking:  limited street parking on Commerce Street (East of Liverpool)

Ground Cover: mulch

Main Equipment:
  • 3 slides (1 twirly)
  • 1 teeter rocker shark
  • 1 monkey bars climber
  • 1 standing spinner
  • 1 low hammock (like a swing)
  • 1 periscope and 1 ship's wheel

Accessibility Features: low hammock, bow of the 'ship', and small store on the backside

Facilities/Other:
  • basketball court
​
Surrounding Park Area: a nice small field behind the playground with a path that will eventually wind between the new development

Seating: 2 park benches in the shaded pavilion, 1 park bench facing the basketball court (first time we have ever seen this!), and 2 park benches at the back of the small field behind the playground

Shade: no shade on the playground, some shade provided by the shade pavilion in front of the park


Overall assessment: A cute ship themed playground for Pickering close to the waterfront (walking distance). With an accessible ship bow, ship store (on the backside), upper wheel and periscope, this playground is meant for imaginative exploration. Perhaps there may be a geocache to discover in the adjacent park space one day! 
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Bonita Park Tot Lot

9/8/2017

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Picture
Area: Central Pickering

Age Range: infant and up

Parking:  limited street parking on Bonita Ave

Ground Cover: mulch

Main Equipment:
  • 4 slides
  • 2 swings
  • 2 infant swings
  • 3 rockers (1 double airplane, 1 motorcycle, 1 car)
  • talking tubes 
  • periscope (doesn't work well)

Accessibility Features: talking tubes

Facilities/Other:
  • none

Surrounding Park Area: A small green space beside the playground

Seating: 3 park benches facing the playground

Shade: no shade over the playground, some afternoon shade over the infant swings and the 2 park benches, also some shade in the surrounding trees


Overall assessment: We like tot lots with bridges, tunnel slides, and low racing slides as the younger kids just think they're a blast! It's also wonderful to have infant swings that get partial shade in the afternoons so this park is a big plus for that. There will definitely be less fighting over the rocking equipment here too since there are three things to try! Check out this neighbourhood tot lot for a quiet afternoon.
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Denmar Park

9/3/2017

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Picture
Area: Central Pickering

Age Range: 18 months and up

Parking:  limited street parking on Denmar Road

Ground Cover: mulch

Main Equipment:
  • 3 slides
  • 2 swings
  • 2 infant swings
  • 1 double sided rock climbing wall
  • 1 half rock climbing wall
  • 1 standing spinner
  • 1 gametime balance pod (like for parkour?)
​
Accessibility Features: none

Facilities/Other:
  • green field, great for kite flying or frisbie

Surrounding Park Area: A green field behind the playground

Seating: 1 park benches facing the playground, 1 park bench facing the swings, and 1 park bench facing the road away from the playground 

Shade: some shade in the surrounding trees in the park

Overall assessment: Well considering I live with a monkey, the rock climbing wall was absolutely a hit at this park. We had to set boundaries like 'no climbing over the top unless there is someone to help you on both sides' which meant that this trip there was only scaling the wall and scampering back down the same side. The slides are all easy for those who climb stairs to access. It took me a while to figure out what the slanted triangle thing was for....I tried bouncing on it, spinning it etc. until finally I just Googled it and discovered it's simply to practice balancing on (or parkour as I did while running around chasing a preschooler for fun). 
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Brock Ridge Community Tot Lot

9/3/2017

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Picture
Area: Central Pickering

Age Range: 18 months and up

Parking:  limited street parking off Beaton Way, plenty of parking in the large lot off of Brock Street (just North of Finch in Brock Ridge Community Park)

Ground Cover: mulch

Main Equipment:
  • 3 metal slides
  • 1 low hammock swing
  • 1 storefront
  • 1 set of talking tubes

Accessibility Features: talking tubes, storefront and memory matching game

Facilities/Other:
  • see Brock Ridge Community Park (a bit of a walk, but has washrooms)

Surrounding Park Area: A small green space beside the park with connecting trail down to Brock Ridge Community Park

Seating: 1 park benches facing the playground 

Shade: some shade in the surrounding trees beside the playground

Overall assessment: We like discovering new climbing equipment (like the side of this structure that looks like a stick bug climbing the side of the playground), even if our preschooler can't quite climb it on her own yet.  The hammock swing was a hit for both her and mommy (no arm workout for me pushing her)! The storefront was right beside the paved sidewalk and in front of the bench which made it easy to play store from a short distance away. This is a cute tot lot which is so close to Brock Ridge Community Park that you could try park hopping just like we do!
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Durham Region Playground Reviews

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  • Long Live Outdoor Play
    • FAQ
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  • Our Reviews
    • Playground Reviews >
      • Top 10 Infant & Toddler Friendly Playgrounds
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