Owens Park - named for Olympian Jesse Owens - features a great playground that reflects some of the achievements of the person this park is named to honor. There is wonderful mosaic art throughout the play area with the Olympic color and themes and much of the equipment itself reflect these colors. There is a panel that challenges park-goers to compete in events like Jesse Owen, suspended metal climbing rings that reflect the Olympic Rings, a small podium, and cut-out panel with gold, silver, and bronze metals.
Yet this isn't a gimmick, the playground is a great little playground with two play structures and a standard set of swings. There is also a water feature during the summer months. The non-play amenities are nice as well: benches and a modern fieldhouse with drinking fountains and bathrooms.
All in all, this is a wonderful park that is thoroughly themed to celebrate the life of Jesse Owens; highly recommend.
Located in the northwest corner of the park, the Palmer Park playgrounds include two play areas and a water spray feature. One area is for younger children and features a smaller play structure with a small slide and low to the ground monkey bars. The other area is for older children and features a larger structure as well as some unique and interesting climbing elements. There are also sets of standard Park District swings (toddler, adaptive with harness, and belt seat) as well as a water spray feature (there is also a pool with water slide but that's not part of the playground).
The play area is not enclosed and opens into the rest of the park. There are a few benches and tress for seating and shade though the area itself can be bright and sunny. The play surface is wood chips and the nearby fieldhouse provides access to bathrooms (when open). All in all, this is a solid neighborhood playground.
Pietrowski Park contains a playground with two small structures, swings, and a few standalone elements. The main structure are typical for Chicago parks and include a variety of climbing elements and slides. The swings are also typical: toddler, adaptive, and belt seat. The playground get some afternoon shade from a large tree but is otherwise bright and sunny. The play surface is wood chips and while there aren't benches, the low perimeter wall provides some seating.
Pine Park is a small park with a good playground. Most of the standard elements are available here: slides, monkey bars, and swings without too many frills or extras. There are benches and a drinking fountain and the play area itself is somewhat shaded and fully enclosed. The play surface is wood chips.
Located on the east side of Rowan Park, this playground features a large play structure and a standard set of swings. The large play structure is designed for older children and features a lot of tall slides, climbing elements, and a few traversing elements. The play area is not fully enclosed but is fenced from the street. There are lots of benches but sadly little shade near this playground. There is a water feature in Rowan Park - thought it is located on the south edge of the park near 116th and Avenue M.
The playground in Russell Square Park is a gem. There are two separate areas - one for younger children and one for older - and both have large structures with interesting elements. In fact both have an abundance of slides - there is a total of (at least) seven slides between both structures. The area for older children also has a number of monkey bars and challenging climbing elements. The large structure also includes a ramp from the soft rubber surface so it is somewhat accessible to those using wheelchairs or strollers.
The site is also nice - slightly set back from the street with some good shade trees overlooking the large grassy expanse of Russell Square Park. There are also benches for seating and access to bathrooms when the fieldhouse is open. All in all, this is a great playground.
The playground is Wendell Smith Park is located in the southeast corner of the site and features some interesting and non-traditional play elements. There isn't a single, large structure with multiple platforms and ladders; rather there is a collection of climbing and traversing elements arranged near each other. There are also a few standalone elements and the standard set of Chicago Park swings: toddler, adaptive, and belt seat. The playground itself is somewhat shaded by large trees and has a few benches for seating. The play area is fenced from the street and the play surface is wood chips.
Shade and slides. These two words describe the playground in Trumbull Park. There are other features as well - monkey bars, rope/net climbing elements, swings - but the number and variety of slides as well as the quality of shade provided by the large mature trees are the defining factors of this playground. There is also a water spray feature directly north of the playground (and a pool in the same park!). The playground is on the east side of the park next to the fieldhouse (which provides access to bathrooms when open). The play surface is wood chips and there are a few benches for seating around the playground.
The playground at Tuley Park is a solid neighborhood playground with two play structures, the standard Chicago Park swings, and a water spray feature. The larger structure, designed for older children, features long ramps and a few slides and climbing elements. The smaller structure is quite small and definitely meant for younger children. The water spray feature is a solid 'triple shower sprayer' next to the playground.
The playground is located just south of the fieldhouse (which should provide access to bathrooms when open) and is fenced from the street but not fully enclosed. There are benches and a drinking fountain in the area and the play surface is soft rubber. There are a few trees nearby but the playground itself is bright and sunny.
Veterans' Memorial Park has a small playground on the southern edge of the park as well as a water spray feature and set of swings. The main play structure is somewhat dated - the current equipment has been in place since at least 2011 - but is overall still functional with a variety of slides, climbing elements, and interactive panels. This playground is also somewhat accessible to wheelchair users with a ramp to the main structure and a soft rubber surface. The small set of swings is standard (toddler, adaptive, and belt seat) and the water spray feature is also a standard 'triple sprayer.' There are benches around the perimeter of the play area as well as a small park building with access to bathrooms and drinking fountains (when open). Although the equipment is dated, this is still a decent playground.
The small playground at Dinah Washington Park features two play structures and a standard set of swings. The play structures - one for older children and one for younger - both feature slides, climbing elements, and traversing elements. The swings are the standard park variety: toddler, belt seat, and molded plastic.
The park has a bench, a drinking fountain, and a few large trees for shade. The play area is not fully enclosed but it is fenced from the street and the play surface is wood chips.
Wesolek Park is a small neighborhood park with a solid playground. There is a single, large play structure that sprawls over the west side of the site with a variety of ramps, slides, and climbing features. There are also a few other elements attached to the structure like a spinning circle and standard monkey bars. There are two sets of swings with the standard variety of swings: toddler, adaptive, and belt seat. The playgrounds gets some morning shade from the large tree and is fenced from the street without being fully enclosed. The play surface is wood chips and there are a few benches and a drinking fountain near the play area. All in all, a standard neighborhood playground in the best sense of the phrase.
On the north side of West Chatham Park, you'll find a delightful playground and water playground. The playground is standard in many ways - a single large play structure with a few standalone elements and swings - but is also really well done. The water playground is a huge area with a variety of different water spray elements.
These playgrounds open into the rest of the park and feature benches and picnic tables for seating as well as trees for shade. Both areas are fully enclosed and removed from traffic making them great places to spend some time. Highly recommend.
The playground in West Pullman Park is a solid playground with some great trees. There are two play structures, a set of swings, and a small water spray feature. The structures are standard in the best sense of the word and come with many of the standard elements: slides, monkey bars, and other climbing elements. There are a few nice amenities - soft rubber surface, benches, access to bathrooms in the nearby community center - but the trees are the standout feature. Beautiful trees - both in the playground and the rest of the park - provide beautiful shade. Again, solid playground with some great trees; highly recommend.
The playground at Edward White Park consists of two main areas and a water spray feature. The two areas both feature moderate sized structures seemingly designed for school-aged children. There is the standard Chicago Park swings and a simple water spray feature. The amenities are light - no benches or seating in the area - but the equipment seems very new and well maintained. The play area opens directly to the rest of the park and the play surface is wood chips.
The playground in Wolfe Park contains a small play structure, a set of swings, and a small water feature. The single play structure is quite large and includes a few slides and some unique climbing features. There are also a few climbing, traversing, and overhead elements next to the main structure as well as a standalone see-saw in the area. There is a small set of two adaptive swings in the same area and - curiously - a set of belt seat swings and toddler swings on the other side of the fieldhouse in the northwest corner of the park. The water spray feature is a simple "overhead triple sprayer" that was renovated in 2015 with the rest of the playground. The play area is fenced from the street but not fully enclosed and the surface is wood chips. There are a few benches nearby but the low perimeter wall provides some informal seating. Large trees provide some afternoon shade the the fieldhouse should provide bathroom access when open.
