Yesterday I posted about the amazing new all abilities playground at Heather Farm Park in Walnut Creek which is one of the most versatile playgrounds I’ve seen. I’ve been to plenty of playgrounds around the world and have cringed at some elements, but they pale in comparison to one particular element of this new playground. Specifically the “climbing” hills.
From the Walnut Creek Civic Pride Foundation website:
Free-Play Climbing Hill: Also centrally located, this area has concrete ball elements, facilitating free, unstructured play for all ages.
As you can see in these photos the giant concrete spheres are placed right at the bottom of the hills, and since the hills are used less for climbing and more for sliding down using cardboard sheets there is a huge potential for someone to crash hard into these spheres. I witnessed numerous near-misses in the few minutes I spent watching my kid sliding down.
For those that have been to this playground, am I making a mountain out of a molehill?
