Grand Boulevard

Armstrong Park - named for Lillian Hardin Armstrong, a jazz musician and composer who was married to Louis Armstrong - is a large park with a large playground. The playground features an area for younger children with a small play structure and toddler swings. The rest of the site features an assortment of standalone elements for older children; some are connected but there aren't standard ladders to raised platforms in this park for older children. The rest of the park is beautiful with trees, ballfields and a walking path, but the area surrounding this playground is somewhat strange. The play site itself is a large wood chipped area that lacks seating (like benches or picnic tables) and shade. There is a shade pavilion nearby that offers some respite, but the size and general emptiness of the play area are somewhat strange. So while I have some quibbles with the design choices of this playground, I still think it's a decent neighborhood playground.

Aspen Park is a small pocket park with a nice playground. There is a metal climbing element near the the entrance, a standard set of swings (toddler, adaptive, and belt seat) near the rear, and a sprawling play structure in the middle that includes a few slides, climbing elements, and monkey bars. The setting and non-play elements are standard; the play surface is wood chips and there are a few benches and a drinking fountain.

This tiny neighborhood park is tucked away in the middle of a block but is packed with features. It has a large play structure with a variety of slides and climbing features. There is also a 'musical bar' with a variety of instruments and a small climbing wall. And in the back there are the standard set of swings and a few spinning seats and a see-saw. The play area is shaded by large mature trees and the surface is wood chips. There are a few benches and a drinking fountain as well. This is a standard neighborhood playground in the best sense of the phrase.

Hadiya Pendelton Park is named after a Chicago teen killed by gun violence in 2013 and some of the parks design elements - a stack of books and a large musical motif printed on the main walking path - reflect this fact. The playground within the park isn't a traditional playground and instead consists of large, modern standalone elements. These elements include two large net climbing structures, a huge spinning platform with additional elements, a saucer swing, and a rope traverse. Immediately next to the playground is a small water spray feature with three modern spray elements. The entire park is fenced from the street but not fully enclosed. The playground surface is wood chips though there are large grassy areas throughout the park. There are benches and a drinking fountain in this bright and sunny park.

George Harding Park features a small playground right next to the CTA Green Line. Renovated in 2013, this playground features equipment from Gametime and includes some traversing elements (suspended rings and hanging steps) and a small structure with a few slides and climbing elements. There are two swing sets with standard swings (toddler, adaptive, and belt seat) and a small playhouse. The play area is fenced from the street but not fully enclosed and receives a lot of sunlight throughout the day. The surface is wood chips and there are a few benches for seating near the park and watching the trains pass.

Honeysuckle Park is a tiny neighborhood pocket park that features a very unique playground. There are just a handful of elements in the playground: toddler swings, belt seat swings, a saucer swing, a large conical climbing element, and an even larger climbing element that resembled a bridge under construction. So although the play elements aren't traditional (no slides at this playground!) the equipment was interesting and well-maintained. The setting and non-play elements are fine; there are a few benches as well as a drinking fountain. The surface is wood chips and there are a few trees providing nice shade. All in all, this is a unique little playground.

Mandrake Park was dedicated in 2001 and the playground equipment seems to be original to that era (at the very least, it appears on Google Street View in 2008). There are two play structures - a tiny structure for younger children and a much larger structure for older children. The larger structure contains a triple slide - among others - and some relatively unique climbing elements: an offset corkscrew climber and a ring/bubble climber. There are two sets of swings, one toddler and one standard black belt seat, The play area itself is quite large and has a soft rubber surface. The play area is not fully enclosed but it is fenced from the street and there are a number of benches and even a few picnic tables (with umbrellas!) in the area but the playground itself is bright and sunny. There is also a small fieldhouse nearby with bathrooms and a drinking fountain.

The playground of Metcalfe Park is on the north side of the park and features a variety of swings and two play structures. The swings - toddler, adaptive with a harness, belt seat, and a tire swing - are solid offerings and the structures both include a number of slides and unique climbing elements. There is also a small 'four sprayer' water spray feature at this park near the playground. The play area isn't fully enclosed but it is fenced from the street. There are a few benches near the playground and the main surface is wood chips.

Poplar Park contains a small and unique playground as well as a water spray feature. The playground contains just a handful of elements: a single mast rope net climbing structure, a large platform with climbing nets and unique metal pods, and an interesting assortment of swings (adaptive, belt seat, and hammock style saucer). No slides or monkey bars at this site! The water spray feature is a standard 'four sprayer'. This unique park features a few standard amenities - a drinking fountain and benches - as well as great shade from the towering trees on the site. All in all, this is an interesting little 'pocket park.'

Sumac Park is a small neighborhood park with a great playground. The small playlot contains a small structure for younger children. There is also a somewhat non-traditional set of climbing elements for older children (think climbing nets and metal structure and not traditional ladders and slide). There are also a few interactive panels set low to ground for imaginative play for a variety of ages. The playground is heavily shaded by large trees and the play surface is soft rubber. There are benches and a drinking fountain as well making this a comfortable spot to stop and play.