Ashgrove Library Park

The Ashgrove library park certainly isn't the greatest park in the world. It's bare bones, a bit old, and sandwiched between two roads! But it is adjacent to Ashgrove Library, which means you can extend your park fun with a library visit or - like we did last week - a stop at Storytime. And then - if you are wanting to make your day super duper - walk up the road two minutes to Jeremiah's Cafe. Map to the library is here.

I guess the tandem experience with the library is perhaps the only way to do this park - unless you lived a street or two away its really not a park worth too far of a travel. This said, it has a climbing frame, swings, a fort type structure with walkways, climbing areas and a slide. And there is a covered table for plonking yourself down on and watching the kids play. It's not bad at all really, but I we really had a super time last week and I think for us the greatest fun was the library itself.

Having a park adjacent to a library means that the park is going to be full of kids around times when kids activities are on at the library. At Ashgrove library this is Monday and Friday. The BCC timetable is here. Of course all BCC library's run a storytime so you should check your local library for times. I think we will be swapping between Ashgrove and The Grange (which has a cool park we will review very soon!).

I was always worried about taking Cody to Storytime. She's a wiggler and an over-sharer. The wiggling clearly was not a problem and I should have never been worried about it. I look back at what a noob parent I was to be worried about that as EVERY kid there was wiggling and running off and grizzling in. In fact Cody (being the oldest there almost) was the only one who sat still the entire time! Did I care about the wiggling/running/grizzling of others? Nope - and nobody did so I don't know why I was worried about Cody before! As for oversharing - well my girl does like to talk and if she's heard of a sloth then she's going to tell you where and when she heard of it (I applaud the librarian for not knowing about Diego!!) - once again, nobody cared and the librarian manged the kids really well. Four books were read (the theme this week was bedtime) and then they did some colouring and stickering (which I think was the point when Cody became super hooked - bring out the stickers and most kids are completely engrossed in their art). We went to the older session (2-5 years old) and took Mika (who also sat on the floor and looked at the book) but there is a younger session beforehand (for the under 2s).

The lady who took the session was young and fun and loved her job. You can't ask for more than that. We got some books - I found a new edition of Juxtapoz (probably not even in the newsagents yet it was so new) so everyone left happy. Cody is itching to go back this week - which we will.

I'm not going to do the typical rating as there's not much to rate. I'd happily do this every week if I could - and so would Cody - which means it would rate pretty high!

I should add that Ashgrove Library has just gotten a new annex built and expanded considerably. Aparently there is a coffee shop going in there (so you can sit and have a coffee whilst watching the kids play in the park). That's all well and good but do go to Jeremiahs Cafe as he's a top dude and very kid friendly.

Jubilee Park (AKA Tree Park)

Jubilee Park (on Fletcher Parade - off Coopers Camp Road in Ashgrove/Bardon) has been a favourite of ours for a while now. We've played there when we lived over that side of town, we have friends who lived nearby and had picnics there but - best of all - CK's cousin Henry lives nearby and is always on hand for playing. It's situated on the Ashgrove/Bardon border - the map can be found here.

The sun was setting so I only got a few dodgy photographs - plus it was super crowded and I'm always trying to take care not to include other folk's children in pictures I post on the internet. So a couple of teaser images to give you an idea, however I think the map link best gives scope with how huge the whole area is, including the ovals. I mention the oval as this is the one park where the oval seems to get used frequently. You know how most parks have an oval off to the side, however it is completely barren of activity except if there happens to be Saturday morning cricket? Well Jubilee Park seems to break free from this oval as ghost town model. CK and her cousin always make a mad dash and run straight into the centre - I've no idea why this park is more conducive to this but the chasing game seems contagious and at any one time there are often toddlers and young children breaking free into a massive run across the field.

There are always groups picnicing here - and you do need to picnic as there are no BBQs here (but there are across the road in another park). I've enjoyed a picnic at this park (as part of a group where I was the only person who had a child so everyone else was there for the picnic rather than the playground) and its a really lovely place to spend the afternoon under the canopy of trees which covers the playground entirely. It can get dark and cold so bring a cardigan if you are visiting late in the afternoon or on a shady day).

This is a lovely climbing park. There are three separate climbing frames - your standard tent like frame (this one has a possum on the top - most have a giant spider for some reason), a climbing wall (which CK at a very tall four years old seems a bit small for) and a more advanced frame which has a variety of climbing platforms and seats which dangle from within it.

There are the standard swings (two separate areas - one for the big swings and one which has a double set of the baby swings), a see-saw, a variety of music making tools (drums and a xylophone) and the lovely hill slide (seen at the Milton Park - which we will be reviewing soon - and the Enchanted Forest) which CK loves so very much. Its certainly got enough for the bigger kids (with the climbing and the ovals) and the little kids (with the see-saw, swings and slides) so it makes this a great park for families with kids of different ages.

CK is away today but I'll get her to add her rating shortly. I would give it 7. If this was your local then you'd be pretty darn happy, but its not in the league of the "wow" parks like Colmslie, Kalinga or the Enchanted Forest.

RATED:

Age Groups: It caters for all ages quite well.
Kid Friendliness: normally I'd say it was friendly - there have been a couple of brutish kids recently which have put me off a little - I think because its a climbing park it does attract older kids who are sometimes a little rougher.
Parent Friendliness: most parents have been good but there have been a couple of jerk parents there recently too (to go with the brutish kids). I'd suggest if you do have younger kids and want to try this park out go during school times.
Shadiness: wonderful canopy of trees
Tricked Out: the climbing frames are very nice
Picnic/BBQ: some tables and benches but the BBQ is over the road (too far away for you to try and be at this park but BBQ your food)
Shabbiness: always litter and graffiti free
Toilets: no toilets
Hovering Required: No you can see everywhere in the park from wherever you stand. As I say, the kids are prone to running out into the fields here so be prepared for that!
Bring Yr Bike: No there are no bike paths here. Across the road (with the BBQ) I think there are, but its a separate area altogether
Wow: there are a couple of things here which make CK really excited, but its not going to knock your socks off.

Enchanted Forest (AKA Broken Arm Place)

Many thanks to everyone who has been sharing this blog address with your friends or on forums - its much welcomed spreading of the word and I'm getting great feedback that people are finding this useful and are visiting some of the parks we suggest! This is awesome. At the end of the day, its a fun thing for CK and I to do - we chat about the park, its design, the features we want to highlight - but I'm just thrilled that other people are loving it too. Please spread the word if you can - the encouragement is really motivating us to do more and more!

Indeed today's post is inspired by a comment on a friend's Facebook where she kindly posted the link. There was a very good suggestion of the Enchanted Forest in Ashgrove and it had been an age since we'd visited this park so I was happy to get a reminder - thank you Michelle.

Officially this is called Dorrington Park (but I don't know one person who refers to it as that!). Map is here.

Firstly, let me clear up the name which CK has given it - I would hate anyone to think that such a sweet and magical park is dangerous. Fact is, CK's good friend E broke her arm here. Kids break their arms at all sorts of places - in parks, in backyards, in lounge rooms, at supermarkets, on bikes, in cars, running, climbing, you name it - kids break their arms. I don't believe this park is any more dangerous than any other public space you take your child to. But, CK being three, she has event associations with places and since her friend broke her arm here the park has been dubbed Broken Arm Place (and I particularly like her use of "place" instead of "park" - it really makes it sound quite fancy!).

The Enchanted Forest is the Northside Park that people talk in length about. If you are talking about playgrounds then someone is bound to ask if you've been here. It really is quite magical and a stunning park. I visited it this time wondering if it was all hype and it was going to live up to the enormous props which everyone gives it or if it had just become a legend which got slightly embellished along the way making an okay park sound better than it actually was. I walked away thinking it indeed was magical.

The concept of the park is simple - its filled with enchantment. There are toadstools, magic shops and enough fairy and spooky inspired designs to keep both the fairy lovers and the eye of newt lovers happy. The perimeter is lined with artwork which reflects the theme - both this and the story which is featured in the audio toadstool section are inspired by the ideas and tales of year three students which the artists worked with.

Given that CK is heavily (read obsessively) engrossed in the Enid Blyton Faraway Tree series at the moment all her play at home is about enchanted faraway lands so this park really fits with a theme she is exploring.

There are lots of different areas in this park and lots of climbing, sliding, imaginative play and interactivity. In that sense, this park combines all that I've talked of so far in this blog - its perhaps the only park to capture everything in one. The play area is set under a beautiful canopy of trees (I think this is the key to a successful park in Brisbane) and is set to the side of expansive ovals for further play. It appears to be the go to park for parties - on the very rainy day we visited there were two parties in occurrence - an Indiana Jones party and a fairy party - this in itself shows you the flexibility of interpretation of the park. Unfortunately there is only one covered picnic area with a BBQ - the other picnic table is uncovered and has no cooking facilities -so if you are thinking of hosting a party here I think you have to be there at the crack of dawn to stake your claim to a table.

The above hill with the ropes and slide was easily CK's favourite area of the park. She was climbing the tallest mountain and then racing down the big hill to the bottom. The three different shopfronts were also great for imaginative play - they are all magic based but could easily be adaptable to whatever concept the child could come up with for the area. The whole park is pretty run down - the frog is peeling, one of the peek through pictures was shattered - but it holds its own and the condition isn't detrimental (or dangerous) in any way.

Its fairly hidden down a side road which could easily be missed from the main street. The remnants of balloons show you the history this park has as a party park - I really think this is the forte of the park so its a shame that there are not more facilities to accommodate multiple groups.

There is a coffee shop about two minutes walk away - I always find the access to coffee quite a critical factor in deciding which park to visit early on the weekend mornings...

CK rates this park at 9 and I would give it 9 too. Its very much on par with Kalinga Park as the best in Brisbane.

RATED:

Age Groups: It has enough diversity to cater for all ages.
Kid Friendliness: very friendly - CK was playing with a six year old boy this last time and normally (at this age) there's quite the distinction where a 6 year old boy would be loath to hang out with a three year old girl - but everyone gets along!
Parent Friendliness: really good parents and a nice variety of parents too (straight shooting, alterna parents)
Shadiness: wonderful canopy of trees
Tricked Out: its packed with lots of old and new school features
Picnic/BBQ: just the one BBQ and shaded pergola
Shabbiness: its not dirty, its not vandalised, its just neglected.
Toilets: the toilets are okay and not too dirty. they are all super sized so you can take a pram in with you.
Hovering Required: No you can see everywhere in the park from wherever you stand.
Bring Yr Bike: No, there are paths but they are generally covered in bark - and I don't think you need any extra attractions here
Crowded: not super crowded but definitely popular
Wow: as I've said above, its the stuff of urban legend status