Irvine's Adventure Playground Needs a Bulldozer

OK, that's a misleading headline.  Somebody might read that and think I'm really proposing the demolition of Irvine, CA's Adventure Playground.  The playground looks more like a vacant lot than a fancy new playground with brightly colored equipment, but that's the point, really.  With mud, fort-like structures, movable parts, rope bridges, and the like, it sounds very much like a playground for creativity, an Imagination Playground on the cheap (not to mention more than 60 years ahead of its time, since the concept's been floating around since the 1940s).

Now there are moves afoot to tear down the playground, which has led supporters in the community to create their own Defend Adventure Playground website.  (I particularly appreciate the seige mentality implied by the use of the verb "defend.")

I'm not going to get into who's right and who's wrong here -- I've seen more than enough of these situations to know that it's very gray, not black and white, and even if you disagree, it's often a matter of perspective.  (I'll also note that it's not exactly a new issue.)

But I do wish that they had one of these near us.  There are just 3 (and since AP's been closed for a couple summers, just 2) of these in the US, as opposed to a thousand or so in Europe.  Wouldn't it be cool to see your kids tromp through the mud, construct a fort (repeatedly), and cross a rope bridge?  Maybe even -- we can dream, right? -- pretend to operate a bulldozer?

(Hat tip: KaBOOM!)

Review: Balboa Park Pepper Grove Discovery Playground (San Diego, CA)

Until I spent a few years in the Valley of the Sun, I didn't quite understand the allure of San Diego.  But now that I'm a long time resident, I more fully appreciate the charms of the city.  And by "charms," I mean "sub-80-degree summer afternoons."  We don't make San Diego an annual trip like many folks here do, but we've gone a couple times, and playgrounds have been a key component of our trips there.

One of our favorite is Balboa Park's main playground, which, according to the park's blog, is officially called the Pepper Grove Discovery Playground.  It's on the southern end of the massive park, south of the Fleet Science Center, west of Park Boulevard.

As you can see from the pictures here and in the links above, there is nothing particularly special about the equipment itself.  There are a few swings, some updated and bulbous but not wow-able climbing equipment on rubberized surface, and some spring-y and scoop-y ride vehicles on sand.  There is also -- and I'm sorry I don't have a picture of this -- an egg-like chair that spins round and round.  The adult in me nearly throws up just thinking about it, but the kids of course love it.  It'd be a pretty good neighborhood playground.

The distinguishing reason to visit is the presence of all those trees lining the playground.  Those pepper trees provide lovely shade for when the mid-afternoon sun gets a little too intense to hang out on the playground itself (which is pretty devoid of shade or seating).  There are trees aplenty, so even if the playground gets a bit crowded (which it definitely can), you'll still likely be able to find a spot to hang out and have a snack or a whole picnic.  You'll be more likely to find a spot under the trees than you will a parking spot in the adjacent parking lot (you're more likely to find space a fifth-mile or so south on Park Boulevard).  There are bathrooms right there, but if you need snacks, a 10-minute stroll up the hill to the main part of Balboa Park (El Prado) will suit your needs nicely.

I can't say that this should be your first stop at Balboa Park, one of America's great parks.  But if you're going there, and your kids need some unstructured play time, it might be the best.

Details

What: Balboa Park (Pepper Grove Discovery) Playground

Where: Balboa Park, San Diego, California, 92101 (map)

Parking: Parking lots adjacent to park, free, but can get full with Fleet Science Center and other visitors; street parking along Park Boulevard; big shuttle lot further south on Park served by free trams.  Served by bus.

Amenities: There's a bathroom of passable quality.

Bottom Line: You're in San Diego, playing on a playground on (probably) a beautiful day.  What could be wrong?