Sumach-Shuter Parkette

Equipment by Landscape Structures.

Surface: Rubber.

We visited the tiny Sumach-Shuter Parkette about five years ago - before its recent rejuvenation - and gave it a rating of 72, which felt generous. The dilapidated equipment and neglected landscaping was so uninspiring that I never got around to writing a review about it.

But a lot can happen in a few years, and plenty has happened at the corner of Sumach and Shuter. The rejuvenation has made a big difference, and the playground here can now count itself among the many quality options in the neighbourhood.

Shaded for most of the day by many trees, the green and brown climbers almost give the illusion of even more greenery. The equipment features a good balance of ropes and slides and spinners. In some ways it feels like a scaled-down version of the playground at Moorevale.

Along with fresh equipment, the rejuvenation has added a small off-leash area, water bottle filling station, and a nearly comical amount of seating: long curved benches and enough picnic tables to host a baseball team’s end-of-season picnic.

Unfortunately, those additions come at the expense of the former wading pool and sandbox. However, if your kids need more activity the large turf field across the street and the nearby Pam McConnell Aquatic Centre (perhaps the city’s best indoor pool) should do the trick. And if you need something to sit on while sitting on one of the many benches, a drink from Sumach Espresso across the street will do you nicely.

It’s great to see the city paying more attention to small downtown greenspaces like this one. Worth a visit.