Sahali Park playground comes with a crow. Sometimes two. Can you spot them in the photos? We didn’t test the equipment out in case the crows were territorial but they stayed perched either here or the electrical wires near the community garden with the pigeons. Is it called a murder flock if a bunch of crows and pigeons hang out?

This playground at Carolina Park in Mount Pleasant left us with so many unanswered questions. The first and foremost question was, and still is, what the heck is going on with this clubhouse? Why is there no legroom?! Is it designed this way? Did they forget to install the legs? Did they go overboard with the mulch and bury half of it?

And one of the benches had no legs either. Is this place sinking!? Did someone cut off the legs? Why? Any why just this one and not the other two benches that are still at normal height?

A landscape architect friend gave me some insight into what might have happened here. Her guess is that the playground was built with plans for a different type of surfacing below. But for whatever reason, it was perhaps decided that woodchips were better after things were installed.

Bark mulch for playgrounds have to be at least 12″ deep to sufficiently cushion falling children so either the initial install didn’t factor in this height or someone went a little extra with the bark mulch here. With that said, the swings look like they’re normal height and the main play structure doesn’t look as heavily buried as the clubhouse so the confusion still remains. 

Detective work aside, Carolina Park playground has a 3 steering wheels, ladder, steps, small double slide and talk horn. The gears play panel is the same one at VGH Playground and the wire crawl tunnel is similar to the one at Oak Meadows Park Playground.

Location-wise, this space overlooks the North Shore mountains and also has a great view of the speeding skytrains and industrial vehicles. The perimeter is mostly fenced to prevent kids from accessing the steep drop down onto Great Northern Way, albeit an opening on the far side. This passageway leads to an foot path and stairs, which serves as a neighbourhood shortcut.

Be on the look out for some some thorny vines along the chain link fence, which snagged my jeans. Being that it was the beginning of Spring, the rose or blackberry vine could have been new growth that the City had yet to tend to. But if you find this hazard or any other issues anywhere, always feel free to call 3-1-1 or VanConnect to let the City know.

All in all, it’s a cute park, especially for the baby and toddler ages because well, some things are lower than they should be. My two year old definitely had to kneel to give out “woodchip crackers” from the store window panel and bend over a little bit at the lower-than-usual steering wheel.

Has a playground ever left you confused? Let us know if you have any stories to share!  Connect with us here, or on Instagram or Twitter.

Although small and unassuming, Grimmett Park is another hot spot for young families in the Mount Pleasant and/or Riley-Little Mountain area. Located just off Main Street, it’s got two play structures made with a combination of wood and plastic. 

The toddler structure is shaped like a house with a simple slide, steering wheel and tic tac toe panel. Next to it is a spring rider duck and dolphin accompanying each other in the sea of pea gravel. The other area has a twisty slide, a rope net, a corner-shaped ladder and a couple different poles to slide down.

A lovely feature is the circular path on the lawn in front of the playground. Many children can be seen scootering or biking around the pseudo-track and picking up speed as their skills quickly improve. It’s not a wide path, but good enough for a couple kids to share while riding at their own pace.

Off to the corner of the park is a fully fenced ball hockey court. Parents use it as an area for kids to run around but it’s usually littered with pea gravel, which makes it very slippery for kids. Akin to a cartoon character that slips and falls on a floor covered in marbles but zero the funny. I’ve witnessed kids, as well as my own child, slip backwards and hit the back of their head on the concrete, spiked with gravel. Please be warned!

A newer addition that appeared in late 2020 is the matching plastic boat, seen planted firmly in the middle of the playground. Was it installed by the City or was it an abandoned toy that someone with keen eyes realized would match perfectly with the existing playground colours? Seeing the “Little Tikes” label at the back makes the latter more plausible, but let’s believe it was a daring feat, full of turmoil and heartache, fulfilling that ancient prophecy about destiny and stuff.

This playground is located on the southeast corner of the park, in between a wading pool, community garden and fieldhouse. On one side, there are two sets of swings and on the other is an odd play structure that looks like a pink turtle shell-like UFO trolley thing that glides along a monorail. 

At first we tried pushing it, to then later be told that we need to hand crank the other end of the pole to get it moving. And move it did, in a rather fitting, turtle-like pace. Probably the perfect speed for a toddler or baby.

My five year old didn’t see the appeal and I was bewildered by the aesthetic of it, but a quick google search of the keywords, “hand crank playground” proved that this trolley is quite enjoyed by others. So much so that this piece of playground equipment, called a “TurnCross”, costs a ridiculous $14,529 USD, down from the original price of $17,458 USD. Which makes me think we won’t be seeing this piece anywhere else in the city.

Certainly, this is only an opinion and perhaps this will be a hidden gem to your child who sees the magic in this ride. 

Jonathan Rogers park is a loungey, chill sort of park, where people go to rest on the grassy slope or picnic in the field, especially during lunch or after work hours. Dogs are seen running around while people enjoy their beverages from the coffee shops and small breweries nearby. The slight elevation here also provides a pretty view of downtown Vancouver. 

Additionally, that slightly elevated, grassy slope is great for sledding on a rare snowy day. It’s medium in size and goes right into the field, with no trees to accidentally crash into. Although just watch out that you don’t slide into the wading pool.

Mount Pleasant Family Centre provides a fully fenced playground for little ones participating in their drop in programs throughout the day. Non-members are also welcomed to join this space if they are respectful of the Centre’s participants and outdoor toys. If you’re lucky, you may meet some of the lovely ladies who run MPFC and be graced by their kindness and empathetic ears that are highly attuned to the joys and struggles of parenthood.

Unique features include a marble play panel that catches the afternoon sun to show off some swirly colours, a circular climbing structure and several upright poles decorated with children’s artwork. The wooden playhouse has a counter and sink for imaginary play and a spring rider in the shape of a rainbow bear. Unfortunately, the slide is facing south which makes it quite hot in the summer sun.

The Mount Pleasant Family Centre playground is suited for younger ages and again, is FULLY fenced, which can ease many parent’s minds. The fences separate the playground from basketball and tennis courts, as well as a community garden. There are a couple of benches and a plastic play bench for the little ones, but the wooden platform that surrounds the playground is fine for sitting as well.

Although washrooms are only for Family Centre patrons, keep in mind that you are actually at Robson park and the fieldhouse across the field have washrooms. Venture a tad further and you’ll get to the Robson Park playground, which makes this area an extra family friendly park.

It’s a bit confusing that Robson Park is nowhere near Vancouver’s Robson Street downtown, even though it’s named after the same guy from the local history books. There’s a double slide as well as a fun wavy slide here, a spring rider with four seats, a plastic climbing wall, a store play panel and an unexciting sandbox under a chestnut tree. Two sets of swings are thoughtfully placed away from the main play structure and because the playground faces Kingsway, kids can ride the swings while catching views of big trucks, emergency vehicles and other speedy things.

The field has a small slope that makes it great for kids who love testing momentum, but keep in mind that most dogs seen here are running free even though this field has an on-leash policy. There’s lots of benches but just a couple of picnic tables, which are found further away from the playground near the hedge closest to St. George Street.

The wonderful Mount Pleasant Family Centre is located across the park, making this an extra family friendly playground as parents usually hang out here after the drop in programs. During the summer months, the wading pool is available alongside some activities and outdoor toys at the fieldhouse. Behind the tennis and basketball courts, there’s a nice community garden which then circles back to the aforementioned Family Centre, which also has a fenced playground of their own.a

There is neither tea nor a swamp at this park anymore, but best you believe that both used to dominate this area, giving this playground such an odd and unappealing name. Another oddity is that the playground could be fully fenced but instead, one corner is wide open for wanderers. Other than that, this spot is great for the younger crowd and the swings are thoughtfully separated from the main playing area. Next to the playground, there’s a small field, a community garden and a pathway of stones that leads to a fancy arbour and benches. 

The “To” in Lilian To Park refers to a surname and not a preposition, making it a rarity to find a park named after local woman in this city. Unless one rides a bicycle down Yukon St, this playground can be easily missed. The main focal point of this spot is the massive saucer swing. Notice this swing is unlike most saucer or disc swings, in that it hangs from one anchor point enabling it to spin while swaying. It’s an adventure of centrifugal force if one is daring enough to hold on tight. Along with a few more climbing and balancing features, there’s also a small ditch with rocks and a log to explore while bicycles whiz by behind it.

This is the playground where all abandoned toys live their final days. Made for ages 2-5 years, this playground structure has more open panels on the top platform than some are comfortable with, causing caregivers to go back and forth from one side to the other while their little ones climb around. Otherwise, it’s an excellent place to sit and watch your kids play with the orphaned toys. The black rubber surfacing makes it a great canvas for chalk drawing as well. In the fall, there are plenty of fallen chestnuts to be found.

It’s pretty obvious that whoever designed this playground is a huge fan of Blippi. Admittedly, the neon popping colours are pretty inviting, especially during the dreary seasons in Vancouver. 

This brightly coloured playground is found at the bottom of a meadow-y hill that’s home to happy bees and a lush spread of wildflowers. There’s a steep hill with challenging features for climbing up it, and a wide metal slide for sliding down with multiple friends. I’ve been told the rubber surfacing gets quite hot in the summer sun, as there is little shade in the afternoon. 

The play structure is pretty small but jam packed with interesting features at the perfect height for crawlers and toddlers to touch and explore. There’s a musical bell panel, drums, a shape table, slide and tube. 

But the most noteworthy and best surprise of all is the toy race track, which can be easily missed if you’ve never seen one before! Just make sure to pack a little car for your child when you come to play. It’s an absolute delight.