Playground Wars Attack of the Clones; Parc de la Croisee.

Well now I don't have to go an take a picture of the main Parc des Cedres playground because I found its clone right here in Parc de la Croisee which is on Rue de la Croisee tucked between Rue Golf and the Police station.



Yes, down to every detail this is the same playground structure but in good condition. There is also a toddler structure in the parc and our kids split their time between the two and the black lab that was visiting with it's owner. There was not a lot of playing on the structure today. I think the heat from the direct sun is finally getting very annoying as all three of us hid under the clone structure to play in the sand and shade it offered.

It is a cute little park tucked safely away from any access to a main road and depending on the time of day offers some shade. The toddler structure seems a bit far from the larger one so if you have two kids it makes it a bit hard to be near them both. Not that there seems to be a risk of losing your kids or them getting hurt (more than normal) but if they are both calling you to watch them or come you will get a good work out jogging back and forth to them.



A nice park and if your kids love the Parc des Cedres large structure and you want to avoid the congestion at that one, as well as play on one that is not broken, then take a visit to its clone at Parc de la Croisee.

Parc Prosperine

Weather was looking questionable but Playground Quest had to surge forth, we still have a lot of ground to cover. After this park we have one more and we've covered them all east of Fraser.



On... this park has a large green space and backs onto a forested area. The people I was with said the structures are fairly new and replaced an aging wooden one that was hinging on unsafe. Its great to see the city is on top of updating these parks, for the most part.



Due to the area having lots of trees shade is not really an issue here and the treed green space lends itself to a good picnic park although the people I was there with who knew the park seemed to indicate there were often a lot of those little flying swarming bugs that are more annoying and harmful, so this might put a damper on a picnic The toddler and junior structures were nice and the kids enjoyed them but a downside might be their size. Both structures were on the small side. Someone thought the trail into the woods might lead to Parc du Village Luceren just to the east if you followed it right but I never checked this out.

Where Playground Quest was hatched; Parc du Village Luceren;

I noticed I missed the first playground we went to on the playground quest tour, the one where we hatched the idea for the quest. On.... it is a nice newer park with large green space that has lots of trees to provide shade any time of the day for playing or picnics. It has a junior and toddler structure which our kids really enjoyed regardless of their age. The park backs onto a forested area and has unofficial (not meant to be there) trails leading into the forest and a quarry area. If they still make kids like they did when I was one I know I'd have been spending most of my time playing around in the wooded area by the time I was 8 – 12 as the structures would grow old fast for older kids. The rock quarries could create higher dangers than some wooded areas however.

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On this trip we left our sand toys but forgot them this time however were pleasantly surprised to see someone else forgot theirs at the playground so they got immediate love from our kids. Hopefully the owner eventually found them there again. We spent a couple hours there and the kids would have gone longer. I have heard this park can get very busy. We got there early so did not find it bad but around 1030 when we left it had started filling up. It was a nice bike ride from out place and is one I'm sure we'll visit again sometime, once we've completed our little family quest that is!

Saved from a disappointing visit to Parc Kennith Loyd

Parc Madaire

Our short stop at Parc Kennith Loyd saw us heading just across Vaneir about two blocks east to find Parc Medaire, on a street by the same name, hidden behind a community centre and in an older condo community where you can still see some last vestiges that Aylmer used to be its own city, in the form of a number of “Private Neighborhood” Please be quiet signs emblazoned with the old City of Aylmer symbol.



This park houses a wooden structure which is simple but very fun for toddlers to early school aged kids. It has two raised play houses which are connected by a wood foot bridge then a rope bridge. The rope bridge was excellent for smaller kids and toddlers. It resembled a large rope bridge you'd see spanning a ravine and had its knots close together to allow easy navigation for little feet and strides. Even our 21 month old could do it and due to the way the bridge is made there was no worry he would fall off or through the rope netting. While simple in construction lots of fun was had traversing from one house to the next and then down again. A nice break from the steel and plastic structures and I think this one encourages more creative play than simply climbing, scaling, jumping and sliding that the newer structures do. We have a raised house wooden structure near us and I've observed my oldest will more often meet and play with other kids in this one than the 50 activity structures that don't have a play house.

Parc Kennith Loyd – Well at least there is a splash pad...

The bike ride to this playground was the highlight. Hitting the bike trail at the end of Fraser we took it over to Vanier and the park was only a few blocks over. Using the trial to get somewhere is always enjoyable with out the stress of traffic.


At the end of Rue Arthur Whelan this park would be better off as green space if not for the fact it had a splash pad. This is all it has going for it for kids and even the splash pad has one of snake head sprinklers missing the snakes head, leaving it just a curved pole with a water jet. Besides that esthetic point the pad is decent but not as good as the one in Parc Emile Zola. What it mostly lacks is the playground to support it. There is a playground with no play structure. It has a couple of things to play on. Two spring rockers, one of which is broken, a couple swings, a slide and something that likes to think of itself as a climbing wall, but I'm not convinced.




Since we were not prepared to do a splash park the kids were bored of the play area in about 10 minutes. Considering these are two kids would enjoy jumping on the coffee table for 30 minutes of fun it does not say much about the park. There are better splash pads and so far every playground we've been to is better. This is one we won't feel the need to return to.

Wet and Wonderful; Parc Emile-Zola

Located on the street of the same name in the Mountain view Area of Aylmer between the Champlain Golf Club and Vanier.


Well this park park was a surprise and certainly a good one. Definitely worth a return visit with the playgroup folks sometime. I had Google Earthed this one before setting out on our bike ride there were only basket ball hoops in the street view but I suspected it was slated for a playground by the looks of the area. When we got there I was right and it was not just a playground but a splash pad as well. As a rare stroke of luck would have it my 3 year old had her bathing suit on under her clothes and my son had a little swimmer in the bag we lug around so after having to hold them down to change them, as they clawed their way to the symphony of gushing water jets with the sunlight sparkling through them to further plead to our kids to come, they were off and split their time between the splash pad and the play structures. In case you didn't bother to do the math, soaked kids and playground with sand equals little sand monsters for you to deal with so when you go there pack accordingly.


The splash pad is really well done but be warned if you don't want to get wet, not all the jets fire at the same time so you might get too close and get one in the back, trust me, it happens and you get wet..and people laugh at you..and kids laugh at you...and..anyhow, take my word for it!



The play structures are really good as well. They consist of a forest themed toddler and a junior (maybe a bit on the advanced side) structure that have slides that look like logs, logs you can climb up to the platforms on, thatch leaf roofs and tree stumps for jumping between along the ground. A very pretty and fun park that will keep the kiddos going strong for awhile. The only real downside seemed the minimal shaded areas and the park was a bit close to the road, which is not a busy road however.

Park de Cedres; boats, beach and playground means lots to do!

We were doing Playground Quest from east to west but today met up with some friends from my kid's playgroup who decided to hang out at this park so we skipped to the west end of town. Sorry, no playground pics as I didn't bring the camera so you are stuck with stock one I found online of the park. I really should get back for a walk and take some since it is the flagship park in town and now infamous as the spot of what is likely Aylmer's only riot in its history thanks to the recent Saint Jean Baptist Day, a bit too much drink and road rage. You know nothing says “national” pride like beating the snot out of your neighbors, but I digress. If I do get some pics I'll put them in here later.



Located a the north end of the Aylmer Marina and Beach area there are a number of structures that are spread out from each other yet still a quick run from one another. I say run not walk as you will be likely running after your kids between them, unless you have that odd kid who walks in a playground. All the structures seemed to be fine for and enjoyed by toddlers to younger school aged kids. There were no real senior aged type play structures. What is nice about this park it the mature tree cover. There is a lot of it and if the playgrounds are packed there is shade for all who want it every time I have been there.

The structures are a bit old and in fact the main one used could use a good updating. The middle run of the triple slide was broken and it looks like someone tried a rather lame fix job on it then gave up and just stuck a couple 4 x 4s at the top of the slide to block it off. This person apparently does not have kids or they would realize that and obstacle is really a fun challenge and one can often see kids scaling around the barrier to use the middle slide. I mean just like at home if mom and dad put something in a locked cupboard of up high it must be really good, so too went the mentality for the kids in regards to this broken slide. What they really need is a sign saying “you're parents recommend this slide” then it would be avoided at all costs as it must be a bummer.

If you are so inclined to go for a swim after playing hard the beach is right there for you to go for it. It has a concession and lifeguards and all those open at 10 am on weekdays. Based on the last time we were there it was clear that opening at 9 am during a hot spell would likely be better as there were many at the beach that day at 9 am already. If anything then open the washrooms! I had not seen people casually using the sides of buildings in lieu of washrooms since I'd been in Europe. No seriously, we rounded the corner of the blue building there and some guy all casually informed us “I'll just be a moment” as he...you get the idea. I was glad my oldest didn't question that one when she saw it.

I'm sure the water is not always this way but due to the heat wave and low river level this year the designated swimming area never got over my waist and while the kids loved the water temperature I for one don't find it refreshing or even nice to stand in luke-warm water. When you don't notice much of a change in temperature when you step in then you know its bad. I'm pretty sure bacteria also love warm water.



Just further south of the beach is the marina and the kids enjoy the walk to see the boats. There is a restaurant there with a large patio and moderate pricing if you want to make a day of it and have lunch. However with all the shade that can be found the park is well suited for a picnic as well.

Overall a nice place to visit and worth making it out to a few times a summer.

Park de la Petite Nation; Forget your sun screen, bring your Raid!

(This is not the first park we visited but never had pictures for the first few ready yet so the first half dozen parks will be out of order from how we actually visited them.)



On Rue de le Petite Nation just east of Vanier this park has some of the more unique looking equipment and structure I've seen in Aylmer. The main structure has a couple of rope nets for scaling, monkey bars and a slide. The structure leading to the slide was easy to navigate for my 20 month old and both kids had fun on it. About 15 minutes in though they were done as the structure doesn't offer a lot. There was a three way teeter tooter but that didn't last long either. Come to think about it I've never seen these used for any amount of time or success, there must be a trick to them, but they do look fun.

It was the smaller area across from the main structure that the kids spent the most of their time at. It had some sand activities like sifters and sand wheels. There was even a scoop chained to the structure so you didn't need your own but bringing your own would avoid fights over the one there and then you are not restricted by the one foot chain. One of the other highlights were the two spinners. One was a bucket seat you'd sit on and it would spin. I was surprised my oldest didn't like this but insisted I sit in it. I did fit and she was able to spin me. I'll admit, it was actually a blast. If I lived next to the park I'd be sneaking out at night for a spin. She did enjoy the other one where you stand up on it and hold a vertical handle. Both units are designed to take advantage of physics meaning you'd only have to lean into them a little once they are going to keep them going and going fast!

About half why into our time there I finally realized where the park got its name. I thought is was from the name of the street it was on but soon realized the Small Nation it was referring to was a nation of Sand Burrowing Wasps. I noticed a few when we got there, but soon realized there were dozens and dozens. Now stinging bugs in a playground are never good things but what made these ones worse for a playground was that they burrowed into the sand. Which meant a few things: One, while I could see dozens who knows how many were in hiding and Two, it made the playground a landmine for the kids. It was only a matter of time before one of them stepped on a wasp hole and got stung.





We didn't stay long enough to find out which kid would get it first as my daughter eventually also noticed them and made her way to the top of the large structure declaring she could not go down because of all the wasps.

I was reminded of one of the parks in Brazil a bit of a drive from our house which had a 6 foot diameter and two foot high Biting Ant hill 6 feet from the bottom of the slide of the main play structure, and I'm talking bigger ants than you've ever seen in Canada. I kept picturing someone not watching their kid there and the next moment he or she is being dragged into this ant hill by an army of the nastiest looking ants of the like I never hope to see again.

Much like we did in that park in Brazil we retreated from Parc de la Burrowing Wasps and went for a slushy.

Aylmer Playground Quest Begins

On a bike ride to one of our many local parks here in Aylmer Quebec I mentioned to my wife that with the amount of times our family bike rides ended at local playgrounds we should just aim to visit them all before it got too cold to do so and the idea for Aylmer Playground Quest 2010 began.

Ok it was partly mentioned by me to my wife in jest but she really took to the idea. It went without asking that our 3 1/2 year old and 20 month old, girl and boy respectively, would love the idea as well. We had no idea how many playgrounds were in Aylmer but knew compared to the other cities in Canada and around the world we lived there seemed to be more than average. My totally unscientific count of possibilities from the map, excluding schools even came up with possibly 40 playgrounds for this town of around 40,000.

We figured chronicling our views and experiences at each park might be fun as well as interesting to look back on. My wife's big on the nostalgia stuff. Me, I'd just slap photos in an album but she makes them look interesting. In case someone else from the area finds this blog of park visits I hope you too enjoy it and maybe even find it helpful. I won't get all technical laying out how many swings and picnic tables etc. each has. In fact I'll likely be inconsistent in what I cover about one park to the next. It'll just be a casual review of each park. I will be consistent in naming the park and its location, if you are not familiar with the street then Google is your friend! Google "Aylmer Quebec" and your first link is the map.


Feel free to comment on the reviews , we'd love to hear your reviews too.