The playground at Cruz Rec Center has one of the longest play structures that I can recall ever seeing at a playground.  The thing just goes on for about 60 feet.  On the sunny Sunday afternoon that we visited, it was marked by a memorial bench on one end and a geodesic dome on the other.  Zora’s getting braver every day, it seems.  There was a time when she wouldn’t go near that dome, but now she slowly, tentatively climbs it.  Not to the top, yet, but she’s pushing herself.  As Zora hung upstairs from the dome by her knees, I chatted with the two girls that were also hanging out at the playground.  They had a cute puppy, just weeks old.  The puppy’s sister was also adopted by their friend who lives just across the street from the playground.  While they petted and pampered their dog, a dozen or so middle-aged guys played softball in the field under the shadow of a long-abandoned eight-story graffiti-scarred industrial building.

Philly Playground Project (visited: 6/20/10)

Visited: September 2014

This is a small, well-kept playground within spittin’ distance of Temple University.  Zora and I played a few heated games of tic-tac-toe and tag on the equipment.  We only left, really, because I had made vague promises of getting lunch on Temple’s campus.  So after checking out the well-tended garden beds, we hustled over a few blocks for a burrito.

Philly Playground Project (reviewed: 10/21/10)

Visited: September 2014

For awhile there, in the Spring and Summer of 2013, I think, Zora couldn’t get enough of the swings.  They were her favorite playground equipment, and nothing else came close.  If we went to a playground without them, she would want to leave within 20 minutes. (Our normal time at a playground is about 45 minutes.)  These days, she’s a hopscotch fanatic.  And she’s getting pretty good at it.  Dendy Rec Center was a rare playground that had TWO quality hopscotches.  We stayed for quite some time.  We were the only ones of the playground that Sunday afternoon, oddly enough.  But not nearly as odd as the artwork on the south side of the playground.  A link to more photos of the “Dolphin Play Fountain,” including information on the sculpture, is at the link after the photos.

Philly Playground Project (visited: 9/23/10)

Link to more information about the public art on the south side of the playground

Visited: September 2014

You can locate an awesome playground in just about any space.  Put it next to an old prison, in a traffic triangle, next to a busy roadway: we can work with that.  But this playground just can’t seem to overcome its siting deficiencies: it’s next to a cemetery AND on the top of windy treeless knoll.  It has perfectly serviceable equipment, albeit a little trashy, but it’s hard to overcome these limitations.  I suspect that, like some playgrounds, this one is destined to always play second fiddle to the popular basketball courts and expansive pavilion and picnic grounds.

Philadelphia Playground Project (not yet reviewed)

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Visited: March 2014

I’m a sucker for those old-timey double UFO structures.  And when you enter Shuler Playground, there’s a beaut, right in front of you.  The rest of the playground equipment is pretty standard.  On the Saturday afternoon that we visited, the soulful R&B station pouring from the radio of the guys across the way washing their cars set the tone as Zora and I dared each other to do even wilder moves on the toucan rockers.  We had the place almost all to ourselves, although the swimming pool was still empty, and I bet that when it’s full, the place is hopin’.

Philly Playground Project (reviewed: 3/17/13)

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Visited: March 2014

On children of the neighborhood surround Panati Rec Center, you totally deserve better.  Near the hulking shell of an abandoned factory (or two), is this small rec center.  It’s brightly painted–much like the Fishtown Rec Center–but is full of litter and needs a hug.  It has a few pieces of equipment, but nothing very exciting.  Sadly, there are places where equipment previously existed but now only their shadows remain on their rubberized mats.  The rec center has the logo of the Allegheny West Foundation.  I don’t know much about this local CDC, but I’m rooting for you guys.

PS.  Vincent G. Panati, according to a little Googling, was a lawyer who served as the Pennsylvania Secretary of Revenue, and died of pneumonia in 1958.

Philly Playground Project (reviewed: 3/17/13)

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Visited: March 2014

If I had my way, every empty lot in the City would have a pocket park.  And every pocket park would look as great as the park on the corner of North 22nd Street and Ontario.  There’s a sliding board and a monkey bars, a small wall to sit on, plenty of shade trees, and a few benches and tables.  We happened upon it almost by accident, as we were driving in our car share car over to Jerome Brown playground.  What a great(er) city this would be if such serendipity occurred more frequently.

Philly Playground Project (not yet reviewed)

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Visited: March 2014

What a treat!  This is one of the best neighborhood playgrounds we’ve been to.  It’s nestled up against some very busy train tracks, too–at least busy on the Saturday afternoon we were there–so a nirvana for a kid (or dad) who loves to watch trains while they get their play on.  Lots of typical playground equipment and in really good condition that were very heavily used while we were there.  There’s one odd tripartite climber-fire pole combination that I’ve never seen before.  Bonus: there’s even some green space you can run on.  (PS.  That first photo of Zora, below, is her striking a power pose; she doesn’t need to pee.)

Philly Playground Project (reviewed: 3/17/13)

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Visited: March 2014

Zora and I were driving up Wissahickon Ave and spied this big rope climbing sphere that was, in a word, un-pass-up-able.  I’m not sure if this amazing playground is open to the public, but we pulled into the parking lot of Wissahickon Charter School, bounded down the stairs, and had a great time.  It’s a little strange having so much fun just a few feet from the speeding cars down Wissahickon Ave, but the playground is exquisitely designed–with help from the good people at Kaboom!–and has everything you want except swings.  Slides and tic-tac-toe games and rock climbing and a car race game and drums and monkey bars.  My only issue–and really, I’m grasping here–is that the playground phone didn’t seem to work when we visited.  One of our favorites.

Philly Playground Project (not yet reviewed)

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Visited: March 2014

Why on earth would you design a playground with this much asphalt?  How much nicer would this expanse of land be if it were all ripped out and replaced with grass.  Oddly, this sea of asphalt is across the street from a meadow–a real life urban meadow that doubles as the grazing field for a horse stable.  The playground itself, one of many built with the help of the Philadelphia Eagles, is fine enough.  But caution: the swinging bridge has a few broken connectors and little feet can easily fall through the cracks. The highlight of this playground–other than the two adorable sisters that played with Zora and me when we showed up–is the rock climbing wall which Zora only recently has finally figured out.

Philadelphia Playground Project (not yet reviewed)

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Visited: August 2013

I bike past this playground almost every day as I ride up Sedgeley Ave to work.  The playground is tucked behind the rec center building (which itself sits behind the swimming pool), nestled against a giant muralized wall.  The facilities have seen better days–all of the infant swings were missing, trash was strewn about, there was a hole in the fence–but it’s a fine neighborhood spot.  Highlights include a retro double spaceship climber, a concrete turtle, and the painted alphabet on the crack blacktop.

Philadelphia Playground Project review (not yet reviewed)

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visited: August 2013

Amos Playground is a small lot tucked behind a track at Temple University.  There are two cool features here.  First, a retro fire truck with a slide at the back.  Second, a tall set of monkey bars.  It’s not a destination park, but it’s fine if you live around the corner.  Strange to think, though, how it co-exists with the Temple housing, including a couple fraternity/sorority houses, across 16th Street….

Philadelphia Playground Project review (8/28/10)

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Visited: August 2013

A couple guys were shot at this mid-block playground the month before Zora and I stopped by.  (And on a Sunday morning, too, for crying out loud!)  So I was on guard and not expecting a whole lot.  But the equipment is in fine condition and it’s kind of cute.  But more importantly, something monumental happened.  As usual, we ran into the yard, Zora started playing and I sat down to draw a quick sketch of the grounds.  But then Zora came over and wanted to draw the playground herself.  The moment will soon be upon us, I think, when Zora draws the featured maps.  Stay tuned.

Philadelphia Playground Project review (8/28/10)

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Visited: August 2013

I wouldn’t be too sad if Hank Gathers Rec Center was across the street from my house.  A fine playground, a basketball court, a baseball field, unusually expansive and lush green areas, and a swimming pool.  Not bad.  It’s in a pretty barren neighborhood (at least for this West Philly family) but I can’t say anything too bad about this quality neighborhood playground.  And who’s Hank Gathers, by the way?  This guy.

Philadelphia Playground Project review (8/6/11)

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Visited: June 2013

In your haste to get to Smith Playground, you might miss this great neighborhood playground around the corner.  It’s got the typical play equipment which are–atypically–in great shape.  There’s a pair of seals spraying water at each other to cool you off if it’s getting hot.  And the whole yard is surrounded by some lovely rose bushes.  It’s definitely worth the visit.

Philadelphia Playground Project review (8/6/11)

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Last visited:June 2013