Charleson Park is one of two playgrounds in the City of Vancouver, that feature an eye-catching, wooden pirate ship! (The other “pirate park” is Jones Park) Complete with a steering wheel and telescope on deck, it also includes components like climbing nets, a rope and log bridge, a rubber hammock and table with seats below. From above, children can take in the views of False Creek and shout, “Ahoy ye maties!” to those walking the seawall.

A favourite playground for many, Charleson also features a big embankment slide that’s angled in a way that causes some people to mysteriously slide very slow and other times very fast. It’s a silly way to pass the time, watching people anticipate a scary slide down but be met with a slo-mo journey instead.

Rebuilt and reopened in late 2020, it’s also the second playground (after Douglas Park) to showcase not one but TWO trampolines. Elevated portions in the rubber surfacing invite creative jumping opportunities. 

This large playground also has elements that were present before the rebuild, such as the play structure with slide and climbers, as well as the multi-user we-saw, springy platform, playhouse and digger in the sand area. Other aspects are new, like the rope pyramid, spring rider (I think?) and play kitchen.

This “pirate park” as some call it, also provides the most variety of swings, catering to a wide range of preferences from baby and standard swings, to universal, saucer, and also a unique tandem swing that we have yet to seen at other playgrounds.

Lastly, many locals were sad to see the large climbing tower be removed during the rebuild. It was a 30+ yr old, tall wooden structure that provided a large platform to view the river from above. Now the embankment provides a similar vantage point and the tree that was next to the tower now has a timber deck with a rope swing. It’s not as grand as the tower used to be, but it had to be retired due to it’s age and condition.

Charleson Park is one of our favourite places and not just because of the appealing new playground. A leisurely walk from the Laurel St land bridge reveals other gems like wooded pathways, a waterfall, little ravine, pond and other pockets of nature. We hope to write about what else makes Charleson Park a wonderful spot in a future blog post.

Please note that False Creek Elementary uses this playground during school hours.

I know, you probably call this playground the “Granville Island Playground” and you’re right. It’s the iconic Granville Island Water Park and Playground and the official Sutcliffe Park name just doesn’t have the same ring to it. 

Many parents who grew up here most likely have some memory of this waterpark and to now share it with their own children hopefully doesn’t trigger an existential crisis, but rather a humbling circle-of-life sort of feeling.

The playground has a wavy slide and a twisty slide. Stairs, ladder, or a medium climbing wall lead up to the top where one can also find a maze panel and a periscope. Below is a music panel with vertical bars.

The sandbox area is nicely shaded with pine trees. There are some stumps and logs scattered about which nicely inspires more nature play. In warmer months, the water feature can be activated to flow water down the stream and into the sand area as well.

A spinning bucket seat and spinning base always attracts the vertigo-immune kids. Right next to is is a tamer 4 seated spring rider, as well as a rope net pyramid (also called a cone spinner) to ride with multiple friends.

Apart from the saucer swing, there is mysteriously no other swings on the entire Island. Surely, that’s a little strange considering Granville Island is very much a children and family friendly destination. Don’t they know that baby swings are the perfect thing for parents to get a handsfree moment? Help a parent out, amirite?

The main attraction of the Granville Island water park is the big yellow water slide, accessible by climbing the stairs on the steep hill. The main waterpark area undulates with bumps and dips in the concrete. Water features include spray poles, arches, fire hydrants and in ground water sprays. A second smaller splash area has a lone fire hydrant and an arch spray. 

Though tempting, the waterpark during off months cannot be used like a pump track for bikes, scooters, skateboards, etc. Instead, go explore the other two playgrounds on Granville island at Railspur Park and the Kids Market Courtyard.

This cube shaped climbing structure appeared in the Kids Market courtyard on Granville Island after they revamped their courtyard in early 2020. I’m not sure if this qualifies as a playground but it definitely is a public, outdoor play area that warrants a mention. And if you’re one that appreciates landscape architecture, the bright red ropes nicely match the existing red accents of the area, including the red dome at the adjacent Crystal Ark shop.

With only this climbing structure and a few wooden platforms, it’s a quick stop compared to the two other playgrounds, Railspur Park and Sutcliffe Park, found on Granville Island. Hot tip: this climbing cube is the perfect thing to lure kids out of the market if they’re still insistent on buying one more toy, after you’ve already supported all the small businesses in there.

One danger to note is that this courtyard is right next to an open pond. There isn’t much of a barrier preventing a Curious George from becoming an Sponge Bob Square Pants. There’s a ramp that leads down to a small dock and although the ramp itself has a good grip, the deck is plain wood and can be slippery. I have watched my child run down and slip onto their butt and my eyes almost fell out. Mind you, the pond isn’t too deep but it’s not like anyone wants to go jump into a pond full of bird and turtle poop to rescue their offspring. 

The best feature of this playground has to be the bad ass Jeep, perfect for reenacting that scene from Jurassic Park. Fully shaded and located on a hill, this playground is best accessible by bus as free parking around the area is a little hard to come by. I’m not gonna lie, the wooden slats on the play structure feels really old, especially standing on them as an adult. The window panel has seen better days as well, because it’s fully opaque. There’s some open lawn space with hills and dips that can be fun for little kids. Bus lovers can watch buses stop and rest on the south side of the park. There’s also an open fountain on the south side that someone on the internets nicknamed “Stargate” for fun.

People always seem to be surprised by this playground, as if it appeared out of nowhere. And maybe it did, considering Granville Island is a place of magic and wonder. Tucked behind the Opus Art Supply store and across the street from the old Arts Umbrella building, this playground can be found on the east end of the studios along Railspur Alley. This brightly coloured play space has a fun slanted window for little ones to peek out of and a couple of spinners to get as dizzy as one pleases. Right beside it is a free library of artsy books and a garden path with lots of big rocks and dirt for kids to practice their balance, coordination and mudpie making skills.

This playground is located at the corner of a grassy field, opposite the Alan Storey’s VGH Energy Centre Plaza*. The play structure has a double toddler slide and a twisty slide, as well as a spinning gears play panel. Like most talk horns, the one here doesn’t seem to carry anyone’s voices across the playground. It’s worth noting that there is a hard-to-find seesaw that seats four. Benches line the perimeter for parents to sit in the shade while their kids play.

The swings here at the VGH playground have recently been updated to hang at standard height (Dec 2020). For those familiar with this playground, the swings used to be unusually low which was advantageous for toddlers who wanted to try a big kid swing. Now, the only thing to write about is that they are a blinding, neon yellow.

Past the swings, there’s a large subway-like ventilation grate that is probably connected to the underground parking for the apartment building and daycare nearby. It sometimes blows a gentle breeze and is elevated so children like to jump off of that. Just make sure they keep your valuables far away from the grates because there’s absolutely no way one could retrieve fallen items.

Lastly, the rubber surfacing is crumbling in some areas so if your little one likes to munch on things, keep an eye out for that. Or not. There’s a hospital nearby.

(I’m kidding of course! 😉

Found at the corner of 14th Ave and Willow St, this small playground is part of the Heather Place affordable housing redevelopment completed in 2020. Best for younger children, this playground is shaded by trees for most of the day and benches are found around the perimeter. There’s also a bike repair station and a water fountain on the south side of the playground. Sadly the red balls on the climbing net are not Pokémon balls.