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KRISTEN MORALES
NEWS FROM THE JUICE BOX SET
Summer "Fun": Crap, it's hot outside. But as
parents, at some point we need to suck it up
and leave the house. Besides, if we don't,
hours of television make our kids as intoler
able as the sweltering sun.
Which leaves us with the question: Where
do you go? Kids are pretty good about playing
outside, no matter the temperature. My only
prerequisite in a good playground, though, is
shade. There's nothing that annoys me more
than a cute playground located in what could
otherwise be a desert.
So, my daughter and I took a tour of the
dozen or so parks around Athens to figure
that out. Not only were we looking for places
where kids could play—where I grew up, we
called them "playscapes"—but also shade.
seating, tables and places to run around.
(Note that we only visited parks in Clarke
County—Oconee County has three—and
we didn't visit the 17 playgrounds at Clarke
County schools.) But among the county's parks
and rec facilities, it turns out the biggest isn't
always the best. Here is what we found:
hours. Bishop Park has paved trails, a covered
tennis area and a neat little grove of trees
near the playground that make for good tree
climbing. And you almost need multiple days
to do everything at Memorial Park, between
visiting the duck pond, walking through Bear
Hollow Zoo and hiking the Birchmore Trail.
Each park also has a community swimming
pool (and Memorial Park's is nice and shady).
The playground at East Athens Community
Center (400 McKinley Dr.) is brand-spankin'
new, which means it has zero trees to shade
it. But two other playgrounds offer up the
typical slides, bridges and climbers with a
little bit of shade. Lay Park (297 Hoyt St.)
and Rocksprings Park (291 Henderson Ext.)
have some trees that mercifully cover portions
of their playgrounds. Lay Park also
is across the street from another
(very sunny) community pool; you
can enjoy free frozen treats at
the park, courtesy of ACC Leisure
Services' summer "Popsicles and
Playgrounds" program, from 10-11
a.m. Saturday, July 16. Rocksprings
lacks seating for parents, but Leisure
Services will have its popsicle
operation up and rolling there the
morning of July 23.
Two other parks have playgrounds
that seem more like afterthoughts
than the main draw. At Sandy Creek
Park (400 Bob Holman Rd.) and
Satterfield Park (3028 Cherokee
Rd.), the playscapes are simply
plopped in an open, sun-drenched
area. Then again, at Sandy Creek,
I'd opt for swimming in the lake,
anyway. And Satterfield's playground
seems mainly intended for younger
siblings waiting for basebaR or soft-
ball practice to end (the park has
several ballfields).
My favorite park, though, is a
shady little gem tucked into an
in-town historic neighborhood.
Reese and Pope Park (375 Pope
St.) is surrounded by old trees and,
at the top of a hill, seems to catch even the
slightest breeze on a hot day. True, it's hard
to top Memorial or Bishop parks in terms of
amenities, but that's also what makes this
park so charming: it's just a simple playscape
on a rubbery surface, flanked by some covered
picnic tables.
The World of Wonder at Southeast Clarke Park includes a maze
like castle and a nearby dragon, perfect for climbing. But when
it’s sunny, most parks—including this one—leave kids hot and
dry. One shiny, hot metal slide out of five.
Parks with Playgrounds: The amazing World
of Wonder castle and corresponding dragon-
dominated play area at Southeast Clarke
Park (enter off Whit Davis Road just south of
Lexington Road) has to be the most interest
ing place to play, except for one thing: it's
darn hot out there. It's one of ACC's newest
parks, and the trees around the sprawling
castle structures are pretty paltry, leaving
parents and kids few places to escape the sun.
But check it out in the evening—the long
shadows cool the playground down, and once
the sun dips below the trees, the temperature
is more tolerable.
I'm going to lump Bishop Park (705 Sunset
Dr.) and Memorial Park (293 Gran Ellen Dr.)
into the same group because the playground
at each park is pretty similar. While each is
surrounded by trees—giving parents a good
place to sit and read while the kids play—the
playgrounds themselves are parched. But since
each park has so many other offerings, it's not
necessary to keep your kids out in the sun for
Open Spaces for Play: There are several other
parks with just qreenspace, and if you can
stand to pack a lunch after peeling yourself
off the couch, these shouldn't be missed.
Specifically, check out North Oconee River
Park East and West, which flank the river
between Martin Luther King, Jr. Parkway and
Willow Street. The West park, bordering the
Greenway on Willow Street, has lovely rolling,
grassy hills dotted by trees and tables, perfect
for a packed lunch. You can explore along the
river or take bikes along the wide sidewalk and
paved paths leading out of the park.
Yes, I said "bikes." I know it's hot. I know
it's nice and air-conditioned inside. But, I
promise, once you get out of the house, it'll
be worth it.
Kristen Morales
July happens to be National Park and Recreation
Month; you can print a calendar of activity ideas for
every day by visiting http://bit ly/n3YXuM.
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