Normally we don’t rate playgrounds but in this case, it’s a safety issue.

Bottom line, don’t come here. There’s too much broad daylight drug use, paraphernalia and risk of encountering an unpleasant situation. There are much better and safer places to play where you don’t have to potentially take your children near illicit drugs. 

This lone freestanding arch is a fun rope climber that’s unfortunately in the wrong place at all the wrong times. Installed during the building of the Crosstown Elementary School playground, it replaced a former log climbing structure in the same spot.

This rope climbing arch would be enjoyable for older kids if it wasn’t for the meth heads that frequent the area. And by area, I mean the benches a couple of feet away from this play arch. 

Unable to steer my children fast enough away from the attractive climbing net, I chose not to cause a scene (which would trigger endless questions from my oldest) and waited until they had their climbing fill. All the while being extremely close to two old men who were smoking their meth pipe – one spaced out with his gut hanging out of his raised shirt and unbuttoned pants while the other quietly chuckled to himself. Fortunately, most meth heads keep to themselves, which is exactly what they did and I didn’t need to shout at my spider-kids to hurry on down from the cable web.

Needless to say, don’t go  to this spot. It’s a waste of an expensive play structure that’s in a rough part of town, near a spot where people loiter. And loiter they do because it’s by a small walkway next to the sports field and fieldhouse. There are plenty of other playgrounds in our beautiful city that’s much more enjoyable and safer.

Oh and obviously it’s best to avoid the fieldhouse washrooms here.

If you’re reading this post because you came here from the Crosstown Elementary playground post, note that this structure at Andy Livingstone Park isn’t visible from the school playground. But it can be seen from the high vantage point by the reflecting pool with the stepping stones. Divert your kid’s attention if you want to avoid them seeing this additional place to play. 

Are you a downtown local? Do you frequent this spot? Were we just here at the wrong time? Feel free to send us a comment.

This playground beautifully matches the bright blue skies above. Hardcore fans might even go as far to say it’s a shoutout the Canucks’ official colours displayed across the street at Rogers Arena. I know, it’s a stretch.

This playground was built in tandem with the opening of the new downtown Crosstown Elementary school in 2017. Although it’s technically part of Andy Livingstone Park, we are identifying it as part of the school and on school grounds.

Unique play features include a spherical “cosmos” net climber and a rope bridge climber that spans the length of the artificially made rubber embankment. The rope bridge incorporates a net tunnel with hoops on one end and springy rubber membranes on the other end. My Japanese brain named these rubber pads, “kombu hammocks”. (Kombu is a thick type of kelp or seaweed).

Built for accessibility, the grounds are spacious and surfaced with rubber or artificial turf lawn. The accessibility ramp that leads one up the back of the rubber hillside is made of concrete. Rubber half spheres provide footing for sloped areas, like beside the embankment slide. More accessible features include a multi-user “we-saw” with bucket seats (the manufacturer’s play on words for what is essentially a 4 seater rocker or seesaw).

Additionally, there are percussion elements for musical play, a pyramid net climber, and an overhead spinner for a centrifugally wild time. During our time there, we saw a handful of kids hold on tight to eventually fly off and ungracefully pancake onto the turf below. They were fine. Ego bruised but totally fine.

Behind this modern playground is a footpath that passes a pond and leads up to the highest point of the park. A rocky stream flows from the reflecting pool with multiple stepping stone paths. This makes it a fun place to explore for kids but simultaneously a stressful spot if your little one doesn’t get the concept of falling into a pond with geese.

If you visit here, please do a safety check for needles and other paraphernalia before your kid takes off to play. A City worker was doing a sweep but this area is a rough part of town so it’s best to always do a quick scan yourself. And as always, call 3-1-1 or use VanConnect to report any hazards to the City for immediate attention.

The adjacent Andy Livingstone Park also has an extra play area that features a lonely, freestanding play structure. Read more about it on our post called Andy Livingstone Park.

Escape the elements of pouring rain or scorching sun, by ducking below the north side of Cambie Street bridge to find a fully sheltered playground free of trolls and Billy Goats Gruffs. It’s a pretty mellow space under this concrete roof, complimented with a nice view of Science World and aqua buses passing by on False Creek.

There are two play structures here with different types of slides, climbing features and an ASL (sign language) panel. Included is a double slide with those strange bumpy textures that I’m still doubtful any child likes(?) The ground is rubber around each play area with concrete pathways between them and a swing set can be found off to the side. Behind the bridge columns is a basketball court and a “rain friendly pop up plaza” with picnic and ping pong tables.

One safety thing to note is that the seawall’s protective guard rails abruptly end at one side of the playground. This means there is a visible opening for your child to try and reach the water below if you have a curious wanderer. A picture is included in the playground gallery above.

Visit Coopers’ Park playground by walking down from Cambie bridge’s pedestrian walkway or along the seawall. If you’re coming here by car, it’s a tad tricky due to the abundance of one way streets so here’s a hot tip: if driving northbound, cross the Cambie St Bridge, take the exit for Expo Blvd going westbound and turn south at Nelson, which turns into Marinaside Crescent. If one is driving southbound, go down Nelson and turn left at Beatty St and then make a ridiculously quick right turn to continue down another street that turns out to still be Nelson St and this will take you to Marinaside Cr.

In all honestly, I’d turn on the GSP for this one.

To the untrained eye, this playground is ground level to Hastings Street but you’d be surprised to know it’s also on top of the Coal Harbour community centre’s parkade. From it’s high vantage point, this spot overlooks Coal Harbour’s beautiful views of the mountains, busy seawall and Boaty McBoatface’s friends. There are two play structures here, plus a small creeky swing set, a courtyard and grassy lawn. The standard swing is unusually low, but it can be an advantage for toddlers wanting to try a big kid swing. 

The toddler play structure has a fun bendy tunnel to walk through, a tic tac toe panel above and a storefront panel below. In the middle are two spring riders – one triceratops and the other is a vehicle of some sort. The play structure for the older kids has bendy slides and a bridge that connects it’s two platforms. Below that is a unique panel that creates binary-like patterns. Like most aging playgrounds, the rubber surfacing is chipping away in some areas. 

It’s shady here in the morning and late afternoon, as the tall buildings and trees obscure the sun for parts of the day. There’s also a lush growth of bamboo shoots stemming from a large planter in the parkade below. It’s actually grown beyond the parkade’s ceiling and stretches out of a circular opening in the ground beside the playground. It’s pretty neat!