Strongsville Community Park, Strongsville, OH

http://www.strongsville.org/content/

http://www.strongsville.org/content/

What an amazing park in the 1990s wooden castle style!  Huge, well organized, so much to try and do...swings, balance beams, a sitting area, climbing, hiding, wiggling, running.  We went in September and it was so worth the drive (271 S to 71 S to the 82 West exit....turn off 82 by the Target).  The pavilion is a wonderful option for snack time.  Parking is adjacent and accessible. 

Definitely a grade A experience.

SKiP (Stow Kids' Playground), Stow, Ohio

http://www.stow.oh.us/Departments/ParksRecreation/playgrounds.shtml

What:  a huge wooden complex in Stow, Ohio.  Castles, play areas, sand pits.

Where:  Stow, Ohio.  3870 Darrow Road.

What's good:  pretty much everything.  Parking is close by and accessible.  There are public restrooms and ADA picnic tables.  Enclosed, so you don't need to worry about someone bolting (a la Ellie). 

What's bad:  it's not right around the corner from the Cleveland area, but with Route 8 open and improved, it's a quick 40 minute drive, and so worth it.

Grade:  A

Devastation.

http://blog.cleveland.com/sunmessenger/2010/11/arson_is_declared_cause_of_fir.html

Beautiful, wonderful Bexley Park, which was an ideal play environment for children with special needs as well as typically developing children, was destroyed by arson last night.  We are so sad in this house, so happy we have so many photos of us playing there, but unsure as to how the gap in our playground lives will be filled as the city decides how to regroup from this horrible event.  More importantly, we are horrified that someone would commit this kind of crime, this crime that takes from a community in such as personal, tangible way.  As Emma rightly noted, "The police need to catch that bad person and put him in grown up time out."  Indeed, young Padawan.