moonandme.com

Having three young children means very many things, 1) I can tell you where the cleaner public restrooms are all along route 17/86, 2) I can pick up several large trays of platters, 3 loaves of bread and carry a 20lb child all at the same time and 3) I know where the best playgrounds and parks are in Chautauqua County.

 

Now if you have googled the words restrooms and found this blog, trust me, I have no desire to discuss where to find these restrooms and if you googled how to carry large trays of food while carry a 20lb gorilla, I can probably answer you questions fairly effectively- buy yourself a mei tai and place baby gorilla on your back and away you go. The carrying food part is actually easy once your hands are free. (see this link for what a mei tai is besides a drink) ANd no, I am not referring to my human baby as a gorilla, nor am I calling your gorilla a baby.

Now, if you are looking for a review of local parks and playgrounds and found this blog, you are in the right place. I will attempt to set up a detailed listing of the parks we have visited and a list of the good, bad and just bleh.

 1. Russel Joy Park

Location-

Features- Hiking trails, creek bed, tennis and basketball courts, rental pavilions, picnic tables and some grills, playground for ages 2-10.

The Good- The park is well maintained and free from glass, graffiti and garbage. The playground is relatively new (within 5 years). The trails are well maintained, with new bridges across the creek.

The Bad-  Nothing to report.

The Blech- Nothing to report.

2.Barker Street Playground

Features- Small pavilion, picnic tables and benches, two play structures, basketball court.

The good- The play structures are in good condition, with new swings added in the last two years.

The Bad- There have been broken glass (bottles) and graffiti on the pavilion and play structures.

The Blech-

3. Lambert Street Playground

Features- Small pavilion, sand box, two play structures, swings

The good- well maintained and new equipment added

The bad-

The Blech-

4. Laona Playground

Features- One playstructure, swings

The Good- quiet park

The Bad-

The Blech-

5. Gardener Street

6. Lakeside Park, Mayville New York

Features- two play structures, swings, on Chautauqua Lake

The Good- The playstructure seems to be new, maybe within the last five years. The structure itself was very unique, with many different ways to climb, move and strecth. Fabulous design, especially for the older children.

The Bad-

The Blech-

Just as a note, this park is right on Lake Chautauqua and there isn’t a fence surrounding the playground, so if you have a runner, you may want to either have an extra set of hands available to help or chat with your children about staying in the play strcuture area. The playstructure has a “wall” around the perimeter, but it is more to keep the wood chips in, then to keep kids from escaping.

 

General Safety Notes When Visiting a Playground

1. Walk around the playground to get an idea of the space.

2. Check the area for broken glass or other debris

3. Check the equipment- note any concerns- sharp edges, nails or screws coming out, etc

4. Report any concerns to the local officials (in most cases, the parks and recreation department)

5. Be wary of playstructures where equipment seems to be tightly packed, one on top of each other. There should be what is called a “fall zone”, which is an area from the end of a piece of equipment to the beginning of another.

6.Be concerned if the amount of “pack” under the play structure is thin or you can see ground/dirt. 12-16inches is the recommended pack amount.

Please note- this site/blog is intended as information only, it is not mean’t as professional advice. Also note, I have not reviewed the recommendations that i have made, these are based off of “memory” and will be updated as I review current safety regulations.

Posted on September 26th, 2008 by karen
Filed under: Uncategorized