Roxboro complex, Cleveland Heights, OH

What:  Roxboro School complex, Cleveland Heights, OH

Where:  there...off of Fairmount...sort of (more of that to follow)
What's good:  the climbers are the older wooden style, but they are ample and appropriately sized.  I like the wide space for RUNNING, which is always a good option.  The pavilion provides excellent seating for shade and snacks.  Slides are covered for the most part, which in the summer sun is key in Ohio (burned butts are no fun).  The school is in a quiet neighborhood and not on a main street.  Fenced along the sidewalk.
What's not good:  the parking lot for the playground is way behind the school building and completely inaccessible from West Saint James.  You have go take Colchester to Woodmere to North Park and then sort of do a dodge and tuck into the lot.  If you don't plan this, your kids will be in the car screaming that they want out (like mine were) while you frantically try to find a place to park the van.  The parking lot is accessible, of course, but it is tricky to find your first time out.
Overall grade:  even with the wonky parking, the amazing pavilion and good layout rate this playground a solid B.

Cleveland Clinic Children's Hospital for Rehabilitation, Cleveland, Ohio

What: The Courtyard at the CC Children's Hospital for Rehabilitation, previously known as Health Hill

Where: Corner of MLK and Shaker/Buckeye, Cleveland

This is not a "park" per se but the mission of this blog is to critique EVERY playspace that we encounter so...

WHAT'S GOOD: Well, I'm glad that they have this playspace at all. It's nice for the children who need gross motor rehab and it's nice when we can play outside after our therapy there. There's a climber, slide, some swings, and an open basketball court with an adapted hoop. This area was a donation from a patient's grandparents in 2003. There was a hopscotch drawn on the basketball court, and Ellie played that for a while.

WHAT'S NOT GOOD: Truthfully, the climber is getting worn, since it is made of timber and is exposed to the elements all year. It's not accessible for wheelchairs, and there are no sensory things at hand/eye level for kids who are grounded because of their mobility issues. The slide has that same weird molded bottom that we saw at Fairfax School, which confuses the heck out of Ellie. The swings are put away as soon as the weather turns in the fall, which is a drag, since on a bright clear winter day swinging could still be fun.

I know that this space is not a premium for the hospital, but I still think it could be beautiful and available for all the children. And it's not.

Grade: C+

Forest Hills Park, Cleveland Heights, Ohio

These little steppy steps are excellent for motor planning.

A nice twist on the rock wall. Sensory + gross motor + bilateralism.

The slides at this park are superior to a lot of slides I've seen. Lots of twists and turns, climbing options to get there. The height factor on the big twisty slide is a little intimidating for toddlers tho.

Longview. Rock wall visible.

What and Where: Forest Hills Park playground, entrance off of Lee Road.

What's good: super climber--there is something for every child of every ability. Excellent slides. Good rock walls and climbing opportunities. Wood chips were fresh the day we were there. Nice trees. There is a pavilion for snacking and plenty of grass for running, kite flying, etc. Parking is ample and close by.

What's not good: I heard from a parent friend at Ellie's school that in the evenings adolescents come into the park, often from East Cleveland, to smoke, fool around, use bad language, etc. I can't confirm this but he doesn't take his little girl there after supper anymore. He did note that he has seen far more CHPD patrols in that neighborhood recently and that the fracas seems to have died down.

Grade: A- (in case there is truth to the riff raff)

Boulevard School, Cleveland Heights

This climber faces Lee Road. It's smaller, but still good for motor planning.

This climber has an excellent apparatus for "mountain climbing." I caution you that the two swings alongside are wobbly, and two are even missing.

Nice balancers here.

This climber is handicapped accessible--see the ramp Emma is on? It leads to a nice sensory play area. This climber is also appropriate for smaller children in that the proportions are accomodating.

WHAT: Boulevard Elementary School Playground, Lee Road, Cleveland Heights. This playground has been recently rehabbed by fundraising done by committed parents and community.

WHAT'S GOOD: There are a variety of large muscle and sensory areas on all the climbers. The handicapped accessible climber is not one I've seen at a lot of parks and it's a relief to know that many children of all abilities could take advantage of the fun this area has to offer. There is also a wonderful open space between the parking lot and the playground that could be used for impromptu soccer or just RUNNING, which as we all know kids love. The Boulevard community clearly thought about what would work for their neighborhood and took this job seriously.

WHAT'S BAD: Well, as one can expect in a public space, there is some graffiti on some of the climbers, and strangely enough, it all has to do with penises. There, I've said it.

GRADE: A- (I don't want to have to explain pictures of male genitalia to my children).

Fairfax Elementary School, Cleveland Heights

Check out the awesome, huge painted hopscotch.

Preschool climber.

Primary grades climber.

Where: Fairfax Elementary School on Lee Road, across from Church of the Savior, Cleveland Heights

What: Two play centers: a kindergarten/preschool sized climber and a newfangled climber, an open play area, and foursquare/hopscotch area

What's good: The newer climber is nice, with several slides, a rock wall, and some sensory areas. I love the wide open play space, which has the painted diagrams, and the fact that a kid can just RUN, or ride a trike, or whatever. Parking is great.

What's not good: The older climber in the kinder area is not great. There are some odd design things with the wooden climber, such as a bizarre slide that ends with a seat-like thing that makes a kid look like he's straddling a bidet. No toddler swings on the swingset, which means a small child or a kid with sensory issues can't swing.

Overall grade: B

Spring is springing.

Well, we haven't had a post on this blog for a while because, well, it's winter in Ohio. But even that ends after a fashion, and we look forward to more postings about more parks. In the meantime, enjoy these winter picnic scenes from a familiar place.

Cumberland Park Playground, Cleveland Heights

I found this seemingly hidden gem just the other day as I took Cumberland Road towards Mayfield. The pool is on Cumberland, and it has tennis courts and basketball as well. But in the park, just after the pool, is this treasure. Wide open, shaded, lots of room. I've lived in the Heights for six years and never knew it was here. Bad me.

How to get there, first of all: There is no parking. You have to either park at the pool and schlep over, or do what we did: Take Superior off Mayfield and turn left on Hampshire. Make a hard left onto Preyer, which is a dead end. If you park on Preyer you can walk in on the city vehicles entrance (third photo from top).

What's good: look at that shade! You'll have shade until about noon. There's a nearby pavilion and a potty (which Bill described as "odious") but any port in a storm. There's also a picnic table at between the swings and the climber. The climber has a rock wall, lots of slides, a bridge, and several types of monkey bars. There's a sandbox pit as well. There are four toddler swings plus big kid swings. Plenty of run room.

What's bad: Parking on Preyer is annoying, but since it's a dead end, you don't have to worry about a lot of cars zooming past you as you haul kids out of the car.

Grade: B+

Kenilworth Park, Corner of Overlook and Kenilworth, Cleve. Hts.

Here's a few things about Kenilworth you need to know right off the bat. It's literally one block away from the famous Turtle Park, so I don't think it gets a lot of play. There are only two toddler swings. There aren't often shared toys left in the sand pit like at Turtle. Even so, I think Kenilworth has benefits.

What's good: there's a couple benches to sit on. There is shade, which is nice. The climber has big and small slides, and a twisty slide (of course). It's fenced in on the street side, and parking is ample and immediately adjacent.

What's not great: two toddler swings only, as previously noted. I mention this twice because I have three kids who like to swing, and taking turns is not often their forte. I haven't noticed a ton of kids there, meaning, we're often there alone. Having your own private playground is okay once in a while, but my kids are social animals. No water fountain. I also don't like that adults use the path nearby as a cut-through to their apartments on Overlook. I realize they have an easement, but it still freaks me out a little.

Grade: B

Denison Park, Cleveland Heights, OH

WHAT: Denison Park, 1015 Quarry Road (accessible from Monticello Blvd. to the north)

What's good: Fresh wood chips. Huge climber with lots of "to do's" on it--slides, bridges, a little rock wall. Good swings. Fenced. Parking is ample and shaded...good for hiding that quick diaper change, plus the car isn't boiling when you load the kids back in.

What's bad: Again, not a tree in sight. Bring the sunscreen. Also, you have to go around the whole fenced area to negotiate the gate, which, when you've got a buggy and a toddler, can be tricky if your three year old pulls a Ghandi and moves towards passive resistance.

Grade: B+

Noble Elementary School, Cleveland Heights, OH

WHAT: The playground for Noble Elementary School, 1293 Ardoon St., Cleveland Heights.

What's good: Ample parking. Some updated equipment (the blue slide is good). Fresh wood chips.

What's bad: Most of the climber equipment is old lumber and is starting to splinter or feels rough. The layout of the playground is awkward--there's a couple of "centers" on either side of the school building, which means you have to decide which side of the building you're going to be on and kind of park there for a while. No shade to speak of--when the sun is full out, you're sweating. Only one toddler swing--understandable, tho, since Noble doesn't have a preschool.

I heard there's a grassroots effort to update the playground. I hope it happens and would support it, even if my children don't attend Noble. The neighborhood needs a safe clean space for families and the children at Noble deserve state of the art. The whole layout of the playround needs to be reexamined--how best to use the space available to the school without compromising student safety. I would also recommend equipment that really emphasizes motor planning and large muscle skills.

Grade: C-

Turtle Park, Cleveland Heights, OH

WHAT: The quintessential Cleveland Heights playground, also sometimes referred to as the "Tot Lot," corner of Hampshire and Euclid Heights Blvd., about 2 blocks west of Coventry.

What's good: What's NOT good? Good parking. Fenced. Everything is downsized for about the average height of a 5 year old. Fresh wood chips regularly. Good swings. Water fountain (not filthy either). Picnic tables. The side closest to Euclid Heights is shaded. Big sand pit with donated community-shared toys. The eponymous turtle, which is both a climbing structure and a hide-under fun thing. It's also apparently made out of something recycled, I have no idea what. Plenty of kids around, which is both good and bad--you need to watch for the climber getting overcrowded. But overall, this playground is first rate.

GRADE: A.