Equipment by Kompan.
Surfaces: sand, wood chips.
Lawrence Park (the park, not the neighbourhood) is the northernmost of a series of parks that follow the path of Burke Brook as it babbles its way south and west towards Sunnybrook, where it joins the Don River. With landscaped gardens, natural forest, tennis courts, lots of shade, it makes for one of the most pleasant summer walks or bike rides the city has to offer.
The recently-rejuvenated playground is in a nice spot, as it’s very close to the subway, and the excellent Locke Library at Yonge & Lawrence. The playground can be a good way to begin or end a cheap outdoor adventure with the kiddies.
Sometimes, I find Kompan’s equipment a little non-user-friendly; their climbing elements don’t always provide the most natural hand-holds, or consider a child’s body size when spacing their ropes or monkey bars. I guess it makes for a good challenge.
There’s one slightly odd element here that my son wasn’t quite sure how to approach, since it looked a bit like a slide, but clearly wasn’t. Was he supposed to climb it? Like most other kids that day, he opted to climb up, and then slide back down on his stomach, in a way that looked neither comfortable, nor fast, nor especially fun. And yet he kept doing it. I don’t know what this element is called, but I’m going to call it, “The Sisyphus.”
The slightly-better Sherwood Park is not far from here, and it’s a pretty walk through the ravine, so your best bet might be to start here as an appetizer, before heading to Sherwood. Then you can top it off with a visit to the library and a Starbucks treat before heading home.