Let me start off by saying these are the most pristine, high-end athletic fields I've ever seen at a community park. Even the bleachers were fancy. How very Southlake!
If I were rating this based on the ball fields, it would more than likely be five stars. But, being a mom of kids not yet in sports, I came for the playground, and that is how I'll rate the park.
It's an okay playground. A little small. It was big enough for my 5 kids because they were the only ones there, but I imagine on a day where sports are going on at the fields, the playground would quickly become uncomfortably crowded. My kids loved the woodsy theme - log slides, large mushrooms to climb on, doors in trees - and it was fun to watch their imaginations run wild. It's a great start for pretend play.
Unfortunately, the playground has NO SHADE. No shade over the play structure, no shade over the benches. With the Texas sun and a metal slide, this is not a good combination! I'm no arborist, so I couldn't tell you if the small trees around the perimeter of the playground will one day be huge shade trees or not, but I'd venture to guess my kids will be long grown before that happens.
There is a shaded seating area outside of the playground where parents of older kids could sit, but it's a little too far away for most to feel comfortable leaving a toddler, I would think.
The bathrooms are clean and nicer than what the typical park has to offer.
All in all, North Park doesn't stand out against the other playgrounds in the area. Bicentennial Park is just around the corner and is a much better destination for kids to burn energy and moms to catch a break. read more