06/16/2013 - Erhler Park, Logan Square, 2230 W Cortland St

Post #8

link to panorama - http://pnr.ma/daVKIZ

Happy Father's Day to all who fit this description!  For our Father's Day park trip, we went over to Erhler Park over on Cortland and Leavitt (just south of Armitage and west of Leavitt).

It was a hot one, but we still managed to enjoy this one.

George Carlos - ★★★★★,"...because I got to play in the sand.  That's why I give it 5 stars, because I like sand so much."

Máximo - ★★★★, "We had fun... It didn't have that much, and it was pretty fun too."

George Carlos in his favorite place

Nice playground, although the slides and equipment were terribly hot, but that has nothing to do with the park.

I went down this slide

Máximo did not, "I'm gonna pass."

The one thing that was slightly annoying was the water fountain, which was always running, and whose drain had been clogged so that it constantly overflowed.  It was impossible to do anything but desire to drink from it.  Luckily I brought water.

Other than this slight quibble, it's a nice park.  Kind of hidden away, with baby and normal swing sets and a good mix of equipment.

I'd give it 3 1/2 stars, personally.

http://www.chicagoparkdistrict.com/parks/Erhler-Playlot-Park/

06/09/2013 - Playground on East Side of Humboldt Park, Humboldt Park, California Ave. & Evergreen Ave.

Post #7

Link to panoramic - http://pnr.ma/aCuhIS

Two weeks ago it was raining, but we tried to head over to the east side of Humboldt nonetheless.  Máximo ended up feeling kind of crummy, so we ended up making it a reconnaissance mission and determined that we would return (which we did last weekend).

above was taken on recon day.

This park is pretty rad, lots of rope equipment. 

another photo from the recon mission

Boys' assessment:

George Carlos - ★★★★★,"I liked the big slide and playing on the big mountain."

Máximo - ★★★★★, "There were a lot of ropes to climb on and I really liked the hill."

 The hill: as above, so below.

I liked this park, personally, and think it's well built and stocked with plenty of wonderful equipment.  The rope attractions are unique and rarely on a playground in such high numbers.

I don't think we ever forgo the swings, 

especially when they're of the seated variety.

We played king of the mountain on the hump that completes the circle (look at a Google Map image of the park and you'll see it makes a complete circle https://maps.google.com/maps?q=humboldt+park+playground+california+chicago&ll=41.905315,-87.6973&spn=0.000534,0.000966&fb=1&gl=us&hq=humboldt+park+playground+california&hnear=0x880e2c3cd0f4cbed:0xafe0a6ad09c0c000,Chicago,+IL&cid=0,0,15908872462850935332&t=h&z=21&iwloc=A)

Awesome park with plenty to keep you occupied, I agree with my boys' assessment: five stars.

http://www.chicagoparkdistrict.com/parks/humboldtpark/

05/26/2013 - Playground on West Side of Humboldt Park, Humboldt Park, Luis Munoz Marin Drive & Division

Post #6 - better late than never

link to panorama: http://pnr.ma/bInQQo

We've actually visited this park before.  Back in January we stopped here when there was snow on the ground and I considered doing this blog for the boys.

In January, we drew pictures in the snow:

Now:

This time it was nice enough to get some enjoyment out of the equipment.

 

It's your run-of-the-mill playground, in great condition, kind of hidden away within the giant expanse of Humbolt Park.  

Square up:

George Carlos - ★★★,"because there was only one kid there."

Máximo - ★★★, "because of the fish smell."

It would fare just average, in my estimation, had it not been for the crazy-nasty fish smell that permeated every corner of the playground.  We couldn't trace it - thought it was coming from the garbage can... it wasn't.

05/19/2013 - Jose De Diego Community Academy (the school's playground), Wicker Park, 1313 N Claremont Ave (off of Western)

Post #5

link to panorama: http://pnr.ma/aYkDjy

I've seen this one from the road for years, and it looked appealing enough... and I found it interesting.

After our weekly pancake slaughter at The Fullerton, we watered up (it was/is a hot one today) and took a short drive to just north of Roberto Clemente High School (at Western & Division). 

This park was completely deserted, so much so that in the panorama above you can see a white plastic bag floating along to which Máximo commented, "Daddy look, a tumbleweed!"

GCVV in the shadow of that weird-looking, Gilliam-esque building on Division

George Carlos - ★★★★★,"the colors [of the two playgrounds] that I like, green and red, and I got to fight [in a pretend gun battle]."

Máximo - ★★★ 1/2, "Because it was deserted."

He's right, the heat combined with the absence of life made it a desolate sort of experience, but we made the best of it and had a battle.

The RED (east) side.

The GREEN (west) side.

All in all, this park is in pretty good condition, and has some steep slides.  It's just out of the way and not heavily populated.

The slides were hot as hell too, that kept total enjoyment at bay.

G liked climbing this one.

http://www.josedediego.org/home-page

05/18/2013 - Wicker Park, Wicker Park, 1425 North Damen Avenue

Post #4

link to panorama: http://pnr.ma/aTFBtZ

DOUBLE FEATURE WEEKEND!  This visit is one of two for this weekend.  

Wicker Park in Wicker Park, eh?  I've lived in Wicker Park and can never recall actually being within the perimeter of the park itself, so Máximo, George Carlos and I took Saturday trip over there.

This park is beautiful, and even has public restrooms - of which we partook immediately upon our arrival, as G-bomb had had his way with all sorts of water earlier.

When we finally got to see the park, we were psyched.  It had unique and rad equipment, kids everywhere.  Looks like there's some splash-pad equipped dancing bears that spew water when the gods of the park deem it appropriate.

one of the bears

teeter totter

Boys?:

Máximo - ★★★★★, "I liked the teeter totter, and some of the other equipment."

George Carlos - ★★★★★, "...because it was awesome!"

It IS a really nice park.  Some of the climbing apparatuses are super cool.  The shape of the equipment is imaginative and the layout is unconventional.

My one complaint is that there are only 4 swings.  Georgie wanted to swing on the swing with the big plastic chair chained to it and he sat patiently on a bench and waited his turn, which came about 10 minutes later - but it came and he enjoyed it.

GCVV's head, and Máximo's butt

This one deserves a 5-star rating, it's really nice.

http://www.chicagoparkdistrict.com/parks/Wicker-Park/

05/05/2013 - Smith Park, West Town, 2526 West Grand Avenue (playground is at Huron & Campbell)

Post #3

link to panorama: http://pnr.ma/afUucZ

All I knew of this park was that this is where some friends of mine play bocce, so this one was recommended...

Beautiful day for a nice trip to a park, but, since we're at Lyndale and Campbell essentially, we had to get into the car for the trip south past Chicago Ave.

Great park; Máximo noticed a strange piece of equipment upon our arrival, one we'd never before seen.

said piece of equipment

Rate the park, boys:

Máximo - ★★★★★, "It's pretty good, and I liked playing with you. I had a lot of fun.  I liked the twisty thing."

George Carlos - ★★★★★, "Because that king chair. The robot chair that looks like a robot king chair, and, uhm, that squiggly thing, and playing with you, Daddy."

"robot king chair"

This park was definitely crowded, and with well-to-do folks at that.  Honestly, there was a Mercedes Power Wheels crashed in a ditch:

We spent a lot of the time underneath the equipment, pretending to be some sort of underground creatures that avoid sunlight at all cost, which was not unpleasant as this park is well equipped with that spongy-rubbery surface.

They have a small splash-pad area of which we'll surely be returning to take advantage.

This is a fine park, I'll go ahead and give it a five star rating as well.

See you next Sunday.

http://www.chicagoparkdistrict.com/parks/Smith-Park/

04/28/2013 - Holstein Park, Bucktown, 2200 N. Oakley Ave. (playground is on Lyndale)

Post #2

link to panorama - http://pnr.ma/aponZV

I've wanted to check out Holstein Park for quite some time, so Máximo, George Carlos and I did just that this morning.  This is just a few blocks from my current place of residence (as was the last one, I promise we'll venture out to more distant parks) so our post-breakfast walk led us here.

This park was packed with boys that all seemed to be around the same age as M & GC, so they were plenty entertained and spent the whole time running around with their temporary pals.  The other parents seemed fairly well-off, as is to be expected 'round these here parts.

How'd this park fare?

Máximo - ★★★★★, "...it had lots of playground stuff that was new, and not a lot of playgrounds have that kind of stuff."

George Carlos - ★★★★★, "I liked it 'cause: I made a new friend, got to play with that remote control car (and drive it), and I got to run away from you [whilst playing cops and robbers]."

new friends and their remote control car

https://vines.s3.amazonaws.com/v/videos/EE7058D9-FA58-40DC-AA25-28DCA57CFB30-32801-000024FD1DB82321_1.0.7.mp4?versionId=BAQ_KzDe5N8gZOO1Qmi81hzXdZladluQ

This park has a nice teeter totter too:

 two-seater

no hands

On the south side of Lyndale (the playground is on the north side of Lyndale) is a nice little park with plenty of permanently installed tables with embedded chess boards.  Although I am not totally familiar with chess, Máximo is a "Chess Scholar," at his school, so I guess I'd better learn:

This is a nice park, for sure. Clean and, with the exception of a couple of broken attractions and holes in the spongy surface, pretty well maintained.

I'd give it 4 out of 5, creo.

http://www.chicagoparkdistrict.com/parks/Holstein-Park/