Hansberry Park is a small neighborhood park with a solid playground. Rather than a single large structure, this playground offers many standalone elements for climbing and traversing with two small platforms that have slides. There is also a standard set of park district swings in the back of the park. The play surface is wood chips and there are benches and a drinking fountain by the entrance. The playground get some shade from trees but is mostly bright and sunny.
The playground at Hamlin Park is a popular playground for obvious reasons: the massive play area is filled with a towering play structure and a variety of elements. The two-story play tower is the most noticeable, but there is also a smaller structure for younger children, a rope net climbing feature, and a few standalone elements at this site. There is also the standard set of Chicago Park swings: toddler, adaptive, and belt seat.
The play area is fenced from the street and features a few benches around the wood chip covered play surface. The nearby fieldhouse should provide access to a drinking fountain and bathrooms (when open). All in all, this is a great playground and a worthwhile destination.
The playground at Hamilton Park is located on the northside of the park and features two play structures. The larger structure is designed for older children and features a series of ramps, slides, and other climbing elements. The smaller structure is nearby and is designed for younger children. There is also the standard set of swings and a water spray feature. The play surface is soft rubber and there are a few benches and a drinking fountain in the area. Large trees just to the south provide some shade throughout the day.
Hale Park features a great playground. There is a single large structure with a variety of slides and climbing elements suitable for elementary school aged children (which is appropriate given that the site seems shared with the nearby Hale Elementary School). There is also a circle seat zip line and a few other standalone climbing and spinning elements.
The non-play amenities and general setting are great. Hale Park is a large, open space with a modern fieldhouse. The playground has a play surface of wood chips and the nearby fieldhouse provides drinking fountains and access to bathrooms. All in all, this is a classic Chicago Park playground, an asset to the neighborhood, and a worthwhile destination.
Hale Park also features a water spray area to the north of the playground; but this is separate from the main playground.
Haas Park is a wonderful park with a new fieldhouse, large soccer field, playground, and water spray feature. The playground has two large structures. One structure is designed for younger children and the larger structure is designed for older children and is accessible via a ramp. There is a wide variety of slides, climbing elements, and monkey bars as well as swing sets with the standard Chicago Park swings (toddler, adaptive, and belt seat). The water spray feature is in the same area as the playground and is a 'triple shower sprayer.'
The play area is fully enclosed and is next to a new fieldhouse building that provides access to bathrooms (when open). There are also benches and a drinking fountain in the fully enclosed play area. The main play surface is soft rubber and large trees provide some shade throughout the day. All in all, this is a great playground; highly recommend.
To quote Shakespeare: "What’s in a name? That which we call a rose / By any other name would smell as sweet." I turn to the Bard to say that - despite this name Gross Park is not gross. In fact, it is quite nice.
There is a single sprawling play structure that is accessible by ramp with elements for a range of children. There are also a few standalone elements - including a play dinosaur - and the same set of swings (toddler and belt seat only).
The non-play amenities are great. Some large trees give shade throughout the day. Ample seating in the form of benches and picnic tables. A drinking fountain and a small fieldhouse which should provide access to a bathroom (when open). And a soft rubber play surface in a fully enclosed park. Lots of things make this a comfortable place to spend a morning; highly recommend.
The Greenebaum Park playground is somewhat standard Chicago Park District playground with a variety of swings, a smaller play structure for younger children, and a larger structure for older children. And "standard" is not an insult - this playground was fully enclosed, has a soft rubber surface, and a few benches. There is also a water spray feature within the enclosed play area as well as views of the train tracks to the North of the park.
This fairly standard playground on the west side of Green Briar Park features a variety of swings and a large climbing structure with a circular monkey bars and a few slides. The play area surface is wood chips and gets afternoon shade from mature trees on the west side of the park. There is also a small spray area adjacent to the playground.
Quiet Green Park features a playground with a large structure, swings, and a sand play area. The play structure is large but not too challenging and features four different slides and a few climbing options. There is the standard Park District swings (toddler, adaptive with harness, and belt seat) as well as a few standalone elements. There are also two sandboxes with a scooper and small sand play table.
Situated on quiet residential streets, this playground is not enclosed or fenced from the street (though it is fenced from the nearby train tracks) and opens directly into a small grassy area with large mature trees. The play surface is wood chips (except in the sand boxes, obviously!). There are a few benches and a picnic tables for seating in this shady park. It is also next to a set of train tracks which makes it great for kids who like trains.
All in all, the playground at Green Park is a standard neighborhood playground in the best sense of the phrase located in a quiet neighborhood; highly recommend.
Graver Park features a nice playground, water spray area, and picnic area in a quiet setting. The playground - named the Barbara Vick playground - includes a moderate sized play structure with a variety of slides and climbing elements, two set of swings (toddler, adaptive, and belt seat), and a few standalone elements. The main play surface is wood chips and there is a sand box. A short distance away is a large water spray area with a variety of water elements and - next to that - is an area with several picnic tables. There is also a fieldhouse that should provide access to bathrooms (when open). Both the playground and water spray area are fully enclosed. Additional seating and shade would improve this site, but it is still a great play area; highly recommend.
Grape Park was created in the 1970s on land leftover from the nearby Kennedy Expressway and features a small playground last rebuilt in 2015. The small, triangular site features a moderately sized play structure with a variety of climbing elements and slides as well as a set of toddler swings. This playground has a classic vibe - wood chip surface with a few benches - with an abundance of shade from the trees doting the site. The play area is fenced from the street but not fully enclosed.
Grandparents' Park is a small park tucked away in the O'Hare Community Area that features a good-sized playground. The playground consists of a set of swings (toddler, adaptive, and belt) as well as a play structure with a variety of climbing elements and slides. Two of the standalone structures - a four person see-saw in the shape of a 'X' and a marble maze game - are unique elements in Chicago Park playgrounds. The other amenities are classic playground amenities: there are benches and the play surface is wood chips. There are a good number of shady areas in the park though the playground itself seems bright and sunny.
Located on the west side of Grand Crossing Park (just west of the fieldhouse) is the playground. Fully enclosed and with a surface of soft rubber, this playground features two play structures and the standard varieties of swings. The play structures aren't remarkable but are solid structures with slides and climbing elements. The larger structure is somewhat accessible by a ramp and the entrance to the playground is barrier-free for those in strollers or using wheelchairs. There is also a small freestanding climbing wall in the play area. There are a few benches and trees in the area providing seating and shade and there is a drinking fountain and access to the field house for other amenities. There is also a simple single pole water sprayer just to the south of the playground.
Grand Park is a small neighborhood park with a playground. There are two play structures, a variety of swings (toddler, adaptive, belt seat, and a tire swing), and a few standalone elements. The setting and non-play amenities are basic; there are a few benches and a drinking fountain and the play area is fenced from the streets but not fully enclosed. The main play surface is wood chips.
The playground at Goudy Square Park reflects it's location in Chicago's Gold Coast: luxurious. The current playground equipment was installed in 2014 and was made by the company KOMPAN; it has distinctive bold geometric patterns and large elements meant for traversing and climbing. There is a large and sprawling play structure intended for older children including a few slides, a large twisted climbing net, some monkey bars, and other elements. There is also an area dedicated to younger children with a smaller play structure and a play car. Lastly, there is the standard set of swings and a few sculpted animals scattered through the play area.
The other features of this park include, according to the Park District website, "ornamental metal fencing, period light fixtures, brick paths, and a limestone and bronze drinking fountain with a turtle, frog and fish produced by Walter Arnold" - luxurious indeed. The play surface is mostly soft rubber with some low walls and plantings around the perimeter. The play area is fully enclosed and somewhat shaded by large trees and there are lots of benches throughout the playground.
The tiny Gooseberry Park playground features a number of unique climbing and overhead elements. There are several play structures with ladders and slides connected by traversable elements (think monkey bars, balance beams, and more!) with a standard set of swings at the back of the park. The play area is fully enclosed, the surface is mainly wood chips, and there are a few benches for seating.
The playground at Gompers Park is located near Foster and Lowell and features some interesting play elements and a small and gentle water spray feature. There is a somewhat large play structure designed for younger children on one side of the play area and a collection of climbing/traversing elements on the other side for older children. There is a standard set of swings (toddler, adaptive, and belt seat) as well as a few standalone elements. The water spray feature features a large pole with a gentle shower spray and smaller misting loops somewhat reminiscent of the Loch Ness Monster.
The play surface is soft rubber; this surface is mounded in a place that makes the surface a play element. Additionally, there are a few concrete structures - a bench near the mound covered in soft rubber and a collection of concrete cylinders and metal poles that are unique features of this playground. The play area is fully enclosed (a must considering it's close proximity to Foster Ave) and there are benches, picnic tables, and a drinking fountain in the shaded play area. All in all, this is a great playground; highly recommend.
The small playground at Golden Gate Park is in a quiet residential neighborhood and contains two small structures and a water spray feature. The smaller structure is designed for younger children and features a few climbing elements and a slide. The larger structure contains a long curving slide and a twisted climbing ladder as well as a variation of monkey bars and a few traversing elements. Between them is a simple four sprayer water feature and a sand box. Both play areas are heavily shaded by trees and have a wood chip play surface. There are also a few benches near the play areas. Overall, this is a nice, quiet, and shady playground.
This small, neighborhood playground features many standard elements including swings and a see-saw as well as some unique elements like a spider web climbing net and small playhouse. The fully enclosed play area has a surface of wood chips and a few benches and drinking fountain. This playground is near the "Mile of Murals" art project and offers views of the CTA Red and Purple line trains.
The playground at Gladys Park features a large structure with a few slides, a small climbing wall, a 'cliff climber' element, and a twisting ladder as well as a few other elements: wave monkey bars, a traversing elements, and a few spinning elements. The play surface is wood chip and is fenced from the street but not fully enclosed. This playground lacks important amenities like benches, picnic tables, or a drinking fountain.
Gladstone Park is a small neighborhood park with standard and well-maintained playground equipment and plenty of benches. There are separate areas for younger children and older children as well as a water spray feature. The play area is fenced from the street and the play surface is soft rubber.
Ginkgo Park is a tiny neighborhood park with a small, narrow playground. Two swings at the rear of the site, a few standalone elements, and a narrow play structure with a single slide compromise all the elements of this small park. Large trees provide great shade for this site though that seems like the only real comfort for park-goers: no benches, picnic tables, or drinking fountains.
This playground - designed by the firm Site Design - combines modern and traditional elements with a forest theme. Traditional elements like swings and slides are present though some traditional elements have a modern, natural twist: two logs positioned like a balance beam, wooden beams supporting climbing structures instead of the traditional metal beams, etc. Even the playground surfaces mix the modern and natural; the play area surface is a combination of wood chips and soft poured-in-place rubber that is sculpted into hills and mounds and the concrete paths are decorated in bold colors and geometric shapes. The play area is fully enclosed and there are few benches and picnic tables for seating and a few trees dot this otherwise sunny play area.
