I had always passed by the Castle Playground and thought, this is a killer playground for kids! Well, now I have a kid and it is literally a heart attack waiting to happen. Specifically for toddler parents, the playground is terrifying.
There's so many nooks and crannies, it's hard to chase your kid around, especially if it's busy. Plus, there's literally portions of the playground that have large drop-offs. The biggest criticism is it's right by a busy road and there's many easy paths to the road that kids could easily escape to There's a fence, but the entrance/exits leads RIGHT to the road instead of off to the sides. I just would have designed it to be a little more enclosed since it's so close to the road. It's scary for all involved. I will feel much better about the playground once my kid is older. I will say the best time to go is early or when it's just stopped raining. No one is there and it's a little more enjoyable because you can chase your kid around easier.
The park itself is nice, but super hilly. So a trek if you're hosting a picnic (although there's paths to drive up to the pavilions). There's also baseball diamonds, basketball and tennis courts. It's a full experience. The bathrooms are pretty far far from the playground portion, so I wish they were a little closer.
Happy to have this park in the hood, will be happier when my kid is older and I don't have to fret so much! read more