Swings and Roundabouts- Vancouver

Habitat Systems Inc.

2009-10-29T20:16:00.000-07:00

When you visit as many playgrounds as we do, it’s inevitable that you reach a point where you start to pay attention to details. Some time ago I began being able to differentiate between brands of apparatus, started to notice playground design trends and then I started to wonder about how a playground comes to be. This curiosity peaked after I first visited Victor School Playground in Victoria, a playground that impressed me in a multitude of ways and has become a firm favourite. Beyond the obvious attractions of Victor School; the fantastic colourful equipment, the engaging activity walls and universal accessibility, I was intrigued by a plaque on the wall that thanked a number of organizations for helping to fund the playground. It set off a train of thoughts in my head about how a playground gets built, who designs it and who pays for it.

After a bit of research I stumbled across Habitat Systems Inc.- a playground distributor in Western Canada based out of Burnaby, BC. Habitat was the consultant on Victor School- helping to plan the fundraising, and then designing and supplying the project. What I didn’t know was that about the same time I was Googling Habitat, they were excitedly reading the Swings and Roundabouts review of Victor School playground which they circulated around their office. Weeks later we started e-mailing, talking on the phone and bouncing around ideas that have led to a partnership.

Habitat Systems provides full spectrum consulting that can take a client from the start to finish of a playground project. It’s an exciting BC grown company (now in Alberta too) that chooses to put people first and the more that I talk to them, the more excited I get about the work that they do.

The company was founded in 1996 in Mark Bodie’s garage where he and partner Jeff Musson alternated using the phone-line over a kitchen table. They formed a partnership with Landscape Structures who are a leading provider of environmentally preferable playgrounds and whom exemplify best practices and going the extra mile to ensure that equipment is engaging and safe, that their people are treated well and that their business is light on the planet.

Fast forward to today, and Habitat has moved out of the garage and grown into a company where knowledgeable and empowered employees work to build community spirit by providing play spaces that inspire, engage and put smiles onto children’s faces.

During a conversation with owner Jeff Musson I asked him about the importance of playgrounds in this day and age and he cited examples of playgrounds that Habitat has built that have become safe gathering places in their community; school playgrounds that are packed on evenings and weekends where safe, fun play can be experienced by children of all abilities- outgoing or shy, high-energy or with no body strength. When he talks about these things he is enthusiastic and you can tell that Jeff loves what he does.

All of the Playground Consultants at Habitat Systems are ‘Certified Playground Inspectors’ which means that they know what they are talking about inside-out and, unlike many other playground providers, their team in not commission-based. This encourages hand-holding throughout the process because it is not about ‘the sale’.

“It’s a cooperative, collaborative process between the clients and us” Jeff explains. This approach is especially important when Habitat works with PAC clients- Parent Advisory Council Groups, because Habitat is in a fantastic position to walk the group through every stage.

“The benefit of working with us for PAC groups is that we can be there for them making sure that each stage of their project runs smoothly. We know the local surfacing requirements and regulations and we have already made local contacts so the process can be efficient-right through to providing safety tips and grand opening items after the installation has been completed.”

Habitat has a Playground Planning Kit that they use with PAC groups which provides comprehensive information on every step of the project. The Playground Consultants work closely with groups during the fundraising process, which might mean helping to plan the fundraising or it might mean that the Consultant is there at PAC meetings or fundraising events to help answer questions and brainstorm for solutions.

Habitat has its own installation team in BC which means that they control every aspect of the installation. This team already understands what Habitat is trying to achieve and they have a vested interest in the project being done right. That means that if during installation they see a way to do something better, they have the ability to do it better. It means that they are not driven by time, but by doing things right. It means that unlike contracted teams, this installation team has an on-going relationship, an investment in making sure that the installation quality is of the highest standards and that safety comes first.

Working so closely with Landscape Structures, Habitat has had high standards set from the beginning for seeking out ways to be environmentally friendly in their work. This attitude has seeped through every aspect of the business from the literature which is printed on recycled paper, to office recycling and composting initiatives, to the processes and products used during the manufacturing of the equipment- making sure that the kids who use the playground apparatus are going to be safe. The plastics contain no heavy metals, the paint is lead-free and there is even a line of equipment that has a 30% smaller carbon footprint. For every Landscape Structures playground sold, there is a donation made through Global ReLeaf to plant trees to offset the carbon dioxide production.

You always get a good idea about an organization by the people in it and when you talk to Jeff, he is so excited and proud of what Habitat does that it’s infectious. Whether Jeff is talking about the way that Habitat approaches business, the fact that the Habitat team is so connected that he says that he’s working with his best friends, or the passion he has when he talks about particular projects. “When my own daughter is going to meet friends at the local playground that we built- well what better compliment can I get?”

To find out more about Habitat Systems, their equipment and partners go to www.habitat-systems.com

Please VOTE for Swings and Roundabouts!!!

2009-10-25T16:50:00.001-07:00

Swings and Roundabouts has applied for the Aviva Community Fund to enable us to go national and bring local playground reviews to the whole of Canada. We’d be involving parents, writers and aspiring teenage writers in the reviewing process, compensating reviewers to ensure consistent quality and creating resources to help get more playgrounds built.

To read our entry and learn more please visit our entry and vote for us. Voting closes soon so please vote now and spread the word to help us get the funding. It takes less than two minutes to sign up and vote and it could mean the difference between us getting the funding or not. You can read our entry on our slide.

http://www.avivacommunityfund.org/ideas/acf2006

Slocan Park Playground- East Vancouver

2009-09-21T21:44:00.000-07:00

Guest review by Emily L

Slocan park is attached to the 29th avenue skytrain station at 29th Avenue and Slocan St in East Vancouver. As well as a great playground, there are large grassy fields and tennis courts, bathroom facilities (although they have been closed recently due to vandalism)and a covered area where people oftan do Tai Chi.

The playground itself has two seperate climbing structures with a total of three slides, one low wide metal slide for toddlers, a medium sized plastic slide and a larger plastic corkscrew slide. Both climbing structures are easy access for smaller kids, ramp and stairs.

Features also include a tire swing, two bouncy animals, two big-kid swings a baby swing and a toddler swing. Big kids can play on the rock "wall" and swinging monkey bar rings.

The playground is on sand which is great for castle building. My son has made a friend or two by being the only toddler with a pail and shovel! This park also features a wading pool/play fountain, it has 2 round cement mosaic picnic tables right at the edge of the playground as well as a smattering of benches surrounding it. Another great feature is that it is right across the street from the Renfrew Ravine which provides a great nature walk on the east side of the ravine. Street parking is easy in this residential neighbourhood and the playground is also on the bike path that follows the skytrain down to Trout Lake, John Hendry Park.

Hope to see you in the neighborhood!

spud! Competition Entries so far!

2009-09-10T22:42:00.001-07:00

You can enter our competition here or if you just want good food delivered to your door, take advantage of our spud! readers special- $25 off over the first 4 orders details also here!

September spud! Competition

2009-09-01T23:07:00.001-07:00

Our sponsor for the first half of September is the fabulous spud! organic food deliveries –read on to find out more about them and about our newest competition.

When I first heard about spud! my husband and I were living in Vancouver, working far too many hours and looking for ways to improve the quality of our lives and our food. We stumbled across spud! and quickly made the decision to sign up for a weekly delivery. We squeezed behind the computer a couple of nights before our delivery day and picked the groceries that we fancied, loving the fact that our meals would now be somewhat planned. The day of our first delivery we rushed home excited to check out what had arrived, and we were not disappointed; the vegetables were always crisp and green, the fruits plump, juicy and colourful and unpacking them together was a little adventure.

spud! describes itself as being like a ride-share for your groceries. They target one neighbourhood at a time, bringing your delivery in a reusable bin with your customized selection of organic, local and affordable all-natural groceries. Because you can order online and the food is delivered right to your door, it’s all super-easy. spud! focuses on purchasing certified organic produce and grocery items as locally as possible and takes pride in being the most locally focused, greenest choice for grocery shopping in North America .

spud! was founded in Vancouver in 1998, opened on Vancouver island in 2003 and has been delivering local, fresh, organic groceries to customers ever since! Healthy and convenient, organic grocery delivery takes all the hassle out of grocery shopping and meal planning, giving you more time to play on the swings with your family. You can place your order online at www.spud.ca.

For a chance to win a $50 gift card for a spud! organic food delivery, enter our competition by sending in your favourite summer playground photo. We've put a couple of our favourites below to inspire you. See all the competition details here.

spud! has also extended a great offer to all Swings and Roundabouts readers- you can use the promotional code ‘SWINGROUND’ to sign up for spud! deliveries and get $25 off over your first 4 orders!

Lighten your footprint with the greenest grocer!

August Competition Winner!

2009-09-01T21:20:00.000-07:00

Well, by a whopping lead it's official that readers of this site like firemen! Congratulations to Helen of Victoria for her review of Fireman's Park Playground......the fabulous prize of $100 Opus Gift Card is on the way to you.

Thanks again to everyone who sent in a review, everyone who voted and of course, to Opus Framing and Art Supplies.

Garibaldi Park Playground- North Vancouver

2009-08-29T13:31:00.000-07:00

Garibaldi Park Playground is midway down Garibaldi Drive, off Mt Seymour Parkway in North Vancouver.

The park itself is a large grassy area with tennis courts, shade, some nice landscaping, the occasional large deer and a lovely playground. You can park along the road which is very close to the playground- good, if like me, you're juggling a feisty preschooler, a wriggly baby and a husband who cannot be separated from the exciting sports game on the car radio.......say no more.

The playground is a newer construction and has two main structures linked by various climbing features. The higher big-kid structure features a really nice high wobbly plastic slide- for extra static on hot dry summer days! There are bright activity wall features underneath the high platform which is accessible by a number of climbing options- curved ladders, platform steps and things to hang from. Between the two structures they have paid nice attention to detail using pod, flat steps and sort of hanging steps- wish I'd got a close up of these but my mind was elsewhere (feisty preschooler, wriggly baby and that darn sports game that had stolen my husband). Both sides have chunky platform steps and the smaller kid side has a lower plastic slide and a climbing wall.

There are toddler and big-kid swings, a bouncy thing, a very cool seesaw and an awesome climbing rope pyramid that 'A' got nicely tangled in- all on a bed of woodchips. I didn't see washrooms, but again, I stand to be corrected on that one because of the aforementioned diverted attention, but even without frilly amenities, this is a lovely playground in a pretty park that managed to have a cool breeze on a hot day.

Competition of the month -VOTE NOW!!!

2009-08-25T13:23:00.000-07:00

The competition is closed so it's time to vote for a winner. The poll is up on our Victoria Site you can find it here. Thanks to all who entered.

Diefenbaker Park Playground - Tsawwassen

2009-08-20T22:58:00.000-07:00

Guest review by Denise

Diefenbaker Park in Tsawwassen in one of the best parks my family and I have been to. It is a meeting of nature and kids-park in one. We love this park because it not only has lots for the kids to do and explore, it's one of the prettiest parks we've seen.
It has 2 climbing structures, with lots of great options. The blue and red climbing structure has a wood chip base, with 3 types of slides and lots of kinds of climbing gear (rope ladder, climbing wall and bars). This climbing structure offers so many options that my kids pretend it's everything from a castle to a cruise ship. As well, there is a see saw spring toy that fits 4 kids off to the side.

The beige and green climbing structure just behind it, has a sand base, 2 types of slides, a bridge, a curvy fire pole and a speaker pipe thing that connects to the other speaker about 20 feet away (Hi mom!). The sand base allows for kids to bring their shovels and pails and make some great creations.
In between the climbers there is also a set of swings, 2 toddler and 2 big kid swings.
The nature part of this park includes a beautiful duck pond with lots of ducks to feed, a small dock to walk out to and see the fish in the pond (some mighty big fish too), big beautiful cedars and willow trees surrounding the pond, a man made waterfall that you can walk up to, trails and pathways all around the park to explore and peaceful benches to sit and enjoy the beauty. This makes it a great park for photos, weddings, and family get togethers or reunions. I have done some photo shoots there myself as well as had my own family photo taken there.

There is also a huge open area that has lots of picnic tables as well as a shelter. The hills on the far side are often used in the winter (when we get enough snow) for tobogganing. These are also great for just plain hill rolling.
Two of the essentials of all parks are a bathroom and parking and Diefenbaker is well equipped with both.

I hope you enjoy this park as much as we do, hope to see you there!

Blogging the day away

2009-08-20T17:33:00.001-07:00

I have a guest blog up today at the amazing yoyomama website. You can check it out here.

Kinsman Spray Park Playground - Oliver

2009-08-17T21:35:00.000-07:00

Guest review by Katherine

Right smack dab in the middle of Oliver is one of the best parks in BC, well we think so anyway. It is the Kinsmen Spray Park, that's right 'Spray' so on a hot Okanagan day you can bring your kiddlywinks here for hours of fun.

When you arrive there is plenty of shaded parking and you can get changed into your bathers in the bathrooms provided. It is a fenced park so no chance of your young ones wandering too far off while you're daydreaming in the sun or reading your latest book. You'll find plenty of picnic benches to choose from, 4 to be exact. If the tables are taken there is plenty of grass to lay your picnic blanket out on.

So off the kids run to either the singular slide, the three in one slide or the huge jungle gym (spaceship or pirate ship depending on the day to my 4 year old) where there are another 4 slides. There are 3 rocker seesaw thingamajigs too, a ladybug, a bee and a truck. If that doesn't take their interest there are still two other sets of jungle gyms to chose from and for those tiny tots there is a set of two baby swings or for the bigger boys and girls there is a separate set of 4 swings.

Now to the best part...the spray park...what can I say...you know how kids love to play in water...so this is for all ages and that includes us mommies and daddies, so bring a towel. The water park is only on from 9:30 to 7 just so you know and obviously just in the summer.

There are lots of large trees at this park, so plenty of shade. There are 2 other park benches for extra rest stops or just to sit a bit closer to your kiddies. There is a RV site across the road, so if you are looking to camp with kids it's a great spot. Also beside the park and the RV site is a huge paved walking trail, great for bike riding or walking the dog.

The park itself is grass with pebbles under each play equipment and the spray park is paved. It is almost kiddy corner to the local library and only 5 minutes away from the community centre which has a huge field and a great bike riding or dog walking path around it. It is also just another short walk if you head north to the Lions Park which has a small playground and a nice clean skateboarding park. But more importantly for a special treat there is a convenient store where you can find slushies and ice cream! Enough said! See you there!

Listen to CBC Radio Interview

2009-08-14T10:40:00.000-07:00

Panorama Park Playground- Deep Cove- North Vancouver

2009-08-11T12:13:00.000-07:00

Deep Cove's Panorama Park Playground has to be in my top four playgrounds for stunning views. The others are:

Transfer Beach playground in Ladysmith
Willows Beach playground in Oak Bay Victoria
Tulista playground in Sidney

If you've never been to Deep Cove, you should take a trip there because it's pretty, there are beaches, places to canoe, ice-cream shops and of course, places to play. The Panorama Park playground is tucked under some trees at the bottom of the steep grassy park and is a very popular stop-off point for local and visiting children. In fact, it was hard to get a photo without 10,000 kids on the equipment so you'll have to make do with what's here- including a rare glimpse of 'A' without his signature hat on. However, this is a well photographed playground and you can find a lot of quality shots online if you google it. My favourite is the Toy Society's drop #483.

There isn't a ton of apparatus here, just one big structure, but it's a good one. It's a tight little mass of platforms with lots of options for climbing up and down including curved or straight climbing walls, steps, and things for which I have no name.....disc steps? There are double metal high wavy slides, double metal low slides and also activity walls and pirate cut-outs to play with at ground level for those not inclined to climb. For those inclined to climb too high, it's great, and I made my first rescue of an over-zealous crawler- who I delivered back down to worried parents, luckily not having to explain what I was doing up there on the climbing frame in the first place!

This playground has some other interesting stuff. They have an extension that reaches out from the main structure and features a spinning cylinder to run on (anyone who can use this deserves an ice-cream-I ended up on my bum), and bike pedals to cycle with (also deserves ice-cream). This whole thing is on a woodchip floor and everything was going well until 'A' announced that it was time to go on the swings and we realized that there weren't any.

So we did the only decent thing and went up the road for ice-cream.

Michael Park- North Vancouver

2009-08-06T10:59:00.000-07:00

Where 11th Street East and Drayton Street Meet in North Vancouver there is a lovely little park with a top-notch playground. Michael Park is a small woody triangle with easy street parking around and plenty of shade for hot days. Our boy 'A' was overjoyed to see that it was completely empty (doesn't like 'people' at the moment) and after he'd finished screaming because he saw an ant, he got distracted by the playground and ran off the test out the equipment.

There are two swing sets -on on each side of the playground each with a big kid and toddler swing. There is one main climbing structure which features climbing platform steps, a lower curved plastic slide, a higher tower with a straight bumpy slide. For a small playground like this there are a good selection of things to climb up and to hang off and a couple of really nice activity features walls, such as a climb, reach jump, measuring chart. There are also a couple of bouncy things and a great bouncy seesaw.

All of this is on a woodchip base and because it's reasonably new it's all in great condition. Apart from good picnic tables, this park is too small to have the frilly facilities such as a washroom, but it's a great stop off for a good play with lots of shade.

Lord Roberts School Playground- West End- Vancouver

2009-08-02T21:41:00.000-07:00

Lord Roberts is a big school right in the heart of Vancouver's vibrant West-End and it's got an awesome playground. Because it's a school, it's only available to the public outside of school hours and there are no public facilities. However, if you want somewhere where kids of all ages can have a really good play, this is it!

There is so much to describe here: four main structures as well as big kid swings, a seesaw, and lots of picnic tables all on a woodchip base. The first of the climbing structures is a wooden older one with a metal slide and not much other than that. The next is an incredible sprawling mass of climbing options, with things to hang from, pedestals to stepping stone across, hanging pedestals to wobble across, rope bridges, platforms, a few activity flairs and a zip rail. There are also some bicycle-like bars that one can pedal on if their balance is good- which mine is apparently not. Sigh.

The next structure in this main big kid area is an exciting looking mess of curly slides that almost made our preschooler 'A' swoon, until he realized just how high they were and he suddenly developed an interest in the woodchips on the ground. This structure features a spiral climbing ladder, hooped ladders, a climbing wall and three fantastic static-inducing plastic slides, two curved and one curly.

The final structure seems aimed at the smaller kids and has lots of climbing options including funky 'block steps' hanging pedestals, various heights of platforms and two plastic slides- a single bumpy and a double bumpy. There are grassy areas and some shade and even though this playground can't offer a ton of facilities, it's a great play.

Competition of the month

2009-07-31T20:38:00.001-07:00

At Swings and Roundabouts we’re all about promoting play outside, but feel strongly that the play doesn’t stop there. Any parent knows how quickly their little one moves from one activity to the next and there are times when trying to think of the next thing to do is exhausting- especially when it’s being juggled with doing the laundry, making dinner or trying to keep relationships with friends and family up. I’m sure there isn’t a parent reading this who doesn’t do some kind of creative play with their children (not only on rainy days) and if there is any BC organization who can provide inspiration and resources for kids and parents alike, it’s Opus Framing & Art Supplies. Opus has paired up with Swings and Roundabouts for the month of August and has generously donated a gift certificate for our August competition. Opus has a long, rich history in the BC arts community and to find out more about their story click here and to enter our competition click here.

I am a huge fan of Opus especially now that I am a mum. I go there for kids supplies- my little boy likes to pick his own tempera blocks and paint brush, then carry his newsprint pad to the till himself- which makes the whole experience better than if we picked up a shrink-wrapped set from a big box store. But most importantly for me, I choose supplies for myself. I need an outlet to keep me sane and for me it’s by being creative- the two things I love to do are to paint and to write. I am a huge believer in parents maintaining their own identity throughout the early child rearing years- something that I believe makes them the best parent that they can be. I often hear friends with young children saying that they feel lost, have no creative outlet, or feel like they eat, drink, sleep their kids with no idea who they are anymore. So in pairing up with Opus for August I’d like to offer the chance to win a gift certificate that can contribute towards the creative health of your whole family.

Opus aims to be a local resource and to support this they have cultivated a large and welcoming presence in the creative community. They provide free drop-in product demonstrations, host local artist demos, provide free handouts on a huge range of activities, and their website provides all kinds of links and resources on what is happening in the arts. Plus, their knowledgeable staff can provide help, advice and tips for all levels. Don’t be overwhelmed by the vast range of supplies – anyone who works in an Opus store can point you in the right direction. Most employees are artists themselves, and regardless of their medium, training or experience, they all know that everyone starts somewhere. Helping to nurture the next generation of Picasso’s, Van Gogh’s or Emily Carr’s seems to be of great importance to them.
Opus also has an amazingly wide range of supplies in their six stores (plus you can also browse/buy their products online) that range from beginner supplies for all ages to fine art, graphic design, craft supplies, printmaking equipment, DIY framing and much more.

So here are my own personal top ten art projects for kids- for fun filled days- sunny or rainy! You can also check out our on-going list of 101 things to do on a rainy day here.

• Finger painting on over-sized newsprint
• Making Fimo monsters, bugs, animals or jewellery
• Drawing/colouring with water-soluble pencil crayons then taking the picture outside and getting it wet
• Customizing mugs with ceramic paint
• Printing on blank cards then sending them out to friends (depending on the age of your child you could use proper printing supplies, stamps or potatoes and tempera paint- plus you can add on the post office trip for a learning experience)
• Make and paint Model Magic animals
• Paint t-shirts with fabric paint
• Face painting
• Marble some paper, then cut out shapes to make mobiles
• Make a floor mat by painting onto heavy duty canvas. You can design a town with roads to push cars along, paint dance steps, draw around each other and so on then after it is dry it will be a permanent mat-toy

Stanley Park Variety Kids Water Park- Vancouver

2009-07-27T23:24:00.000-07:00

For anyone who hasn't been, Stanley Park is fabulous and you could spend weeks there with kids and never get bored. The Variety Water Park, located at Lumberman's Arch is one of the best water playgrounds that I have ever seen and is definitely worth a visit.

There is a blue-painted river that flows through the playground with ankle deep wading water which is especially a hit with toddlers. There are powerful water cannons, water hydrants, fountains that shoot up into the air and a bunch of giant tap-like pipes that shoot water over excited children.

One of the nice things about this water playground is that it is spread out over a decent sized area which means that there is enough room for the kids to run about. There are also two other features there, a ship type structure and a rocky climbing outcrop (fenced in) which has a waterfall tumbling over it. Situated on the edge of the water, I doubt there are many water parks around with such great views (Transfer Beach in Ladysmith could compete!) but if we're getting competitive, this is the first playground that I have seen outside of Ontario Place when i was eight that has an outdoor run-through air dryer. When I win a home makeover I might get one of these installed in my house so that I can dispense with towels completely.

Other facilities include washrooms, parking, picnic tables, shade and seasonal food concessions.

Rey Sargent Park Playground- North Vancouver

2009-07-26T22:49:00.000-07:00

I think that the playground in Rey Sargent Park at Lonsdale and 21st must be the smallest playground in the world. I wouldn't be surprised in fact if the rest of it is on the other side of the road and this bit simply dropped off the back of the truck when they were delivering it. In fact, I think that this might actually be the same playground on one of the BC Ferries- perhaps Students stole it for a bet?

Saying that, it's very cute and had my little boy, 'A' not been fast asleep when we drove past, (I forced the car round the block so that I could jump out and take a look) I'm sure that he would have loved it. There are a small series of platforms in the shape of a ship, with some activity wall features and set back slightly is a pudding basin. These are neatly on a woodchip base in a small grassy park with lots of shade and a bench. There are no other facilities at this location, though you could pick one of the hundred coffee shops, restaurants or stores on Lonsdale Ave if you were in need. Small is beautiful as they say, but you might want to travel further afield if you wanted a challenge for bigger kids.

Cates Park Playground- North Vancouver

2009-07-24T21:59:00.000-07:00

Cates Park Playground is a bit like a Disneyland of playgrounds. Not only is it flashy and new with as many bells and whistles as you could hope for, but it's plonked down in a lovely park with views, walking trails and beaches. We hadn't been to it before and as we drove slowly up and pulled into one of the plentiful parking spots our boy 'A' summed things up in a serious statement...."I'm going to play [dramatic pause] there".

This playground has too much equipment to accurately describe so forgive the lack of details. There are two play areas - one for the big kids, one for the little kids but frankly everyone was all over everything. The only thing that stopped me from being all over everything too was fear of being frowned upon by the other parents. The little kid side is on it's own woodchip circle surrounded by logs, and it features lots to climb up and down, nice chunky steps and a curved plastic slide. There are things to grab and hang from and there is also a bouncy fish. This side is definitely the quietest.

The big kid side is almost overwhelming, with a tangled mess of things to climb up and down, activity walls, slides (at least one high fast metal and one shorter plastic), climbing walls, rope ladder bridges, metal bridges and children, children, children- hence not being able to show this fantastic playground off in the best photos. There are fun activity walls with things to bash, twiddle, or twist, there is a car-sized seesaw, a pudding basin........what else....what else...it's starting to feel like a game show I grew up with in the UK where the contestant had to name as many things as possible in one minute......swings! There are swings- a toddler, a therapeutic and two big kid swings. And this is all on a woodchip base.

There is parking, washrooms, shade from whatever is beating down on you- sun or rain and there are some frills too- a burger bar nearby and if you time things right in the Summer you could get some free music too.

What on Earth is Swings and Roundabouts Vancouver?

2009-07-08T22:43:00.001-07:00

Swings and Roundabouts was started in Victoria, BC in the Spring of 2009 by Eleanor and her 2.5 year old boy, 'A' who went on a mission to find the best playgrounds around their city. What started as a hobby has grown into an obsession and after it rained down requests to start on Vancouver's playgrounds, Swings and Roundabouts Vancouver has finally arrived....with a twist. Swings and Roundabouts Vancouver needs your help. Got a local playground, a computer and a camera? We need you to submit your own review to help us build a database of as many playgrounds in and around Greater Vancouver as possible. Scratch that....we want every single spendid or miserable playground in the whole of BC and we're going to keep on going till we get there.

Want to get in touch? Email us!

victoriablog@yahoo.ca

Want to Sponsor a Competition?

2009-01-01T22:07:00.000-08:00

Swings and Roundabouts wants to partner with BC local organizations who share our values with the aim of providing great competition prizes for readers. As a sponsor you will provide a prize and in return you'll get featured on our site and unlike most kinds of advertising, you will also get a blog entry about your company - a fantastic chance to tell your story.

Swings and Roundabouts does not receive any money from sponsors- only the reader gets the loot. That doesn't mean that you can't give me free stuff of course!!!

For sponsorship details email Eleanor at victoriablog@yahoo.ca

School playground blurb

2009-01-01T21:53:00.000-08:00

Some of the best playgrounds around belong to schools. That comes with a down-side of course- they can only be used when school is out and as a result of that there are no facilities such as washrooms, but nonetheless, there are a lot of great playgrounds that can be used by the public during evenings, weekends and during holidays.

Ramble about the photos on this site

2009-01-01T21:50:00.000-08:00

I am very conscious that there are kids all over the playgrounds and I do my best not to never get them in my photos. If I do, it's a mistake and I am happy to change/remove any photos at any time. Just email me victoriablog@yahoo.ca

Also- I could take really cool artsy shots of the playgrounds- and I often want to but my aim in taking the photos the way I do is to show the equipment. If you click on the photos they blow up really big and you can get a good look at what's there.

How to use this Site

2009-01-01T21:45:00.000-08:00

This site is a blog, so the latest playground reviews appear at the top of the main page with older ones filed below and on previous pages.

You can search the site using key words such as "woodchips" or "water parks". The search box is located at the very top left of the page. We are in the process of making sure that all posts have the right key words, or labels as they are called, so that the right playgrounds appear when you search- bear with us on this it'll take a little while longer (this was written at the beginning of June).

All of the playground reviews are in alphabetical order listed by their location. This is to be found in the right hand column lower down on the page.

There is a map showing all the reviews below the list of reviews.

Please let us know about any problems or inaccuracies at victoriablog@yahoo.ca

Get Involved

2009-01-01T21:39:00.000-08:00

Swings and Roundabouts would love you to get involved. You can email your playground tip, to victoriablog@yahoo.ca, you can rate any of the playgrounds using the 5 stars at the top of each posting and you can vote for playground of the week.

Check out our submission guidelines and if you are interested in submitting a review of your local playground please email Eleanor at victoriablog@yahoo.ca

This website is nothing without you, the readers. Well, that's not strictly true, it's a lot of fun either way but way more fun knowing that someone out there is listening...