Rotary Centennial Park – Photo Courtesy of Hirsch-Associates
10:45am | A few months ago I asked Long Beach Post readers to recommend their favorite playgrounds so my 4-year-old son Carter and I could explore new parks across the city. Though not necessarily in a rut, we were eager to try alternatives to the parks we had been accustomed to visiting. Readers were more than happy to oblige my self-serving post with a long list of new opportunities. In exchange, Carter and I are providing a review of some of these playgrounds as a part of our playground expedition through Long Beach.
Park Estates Park
At the eastern end of Anaheim Street, just past Pacific Coast Highway, a cute little neighborhood park greets residents and visitors of Park Estates. The small tot lot encompasses nearly half of the park with a limited collection of swings and slides, as well as a jungle gym. Being so close to Recreation Park (one of Long Beach’s largest parks), Park Estates Park largely serves nearby residents. Rarely have I seen the playground occupied by more than one family, which is good because the fenced-in area can get crowded if more than four children are at play. Surprisingly, we enjoy the small enclosed play area because parents are basically immersed within children playing. Carter often used us to supplement the playground equipment of the park. With the large trees of the neighborhood providing shade across the entire space, Park Estates Park is great for warm summer afternoons.
Reservoir Park
In Signal Hill, just north of the 405 Freeway and along Wardlow Road, a block-size park stands adjacent to the reservoir that presumably gives it its name. The primarily open-space park is well-shaded along its perimeter by mature trees. Its play area is well-defined within a circular walkway, giving doting parents a feeling of access while providing children a sense of freedom to have fun without mom and dad “hovering.” On occasion, Carter would make a break for it to chase the local squirrels residing throughout the park. There are fewer trees in the center of the park, leaving a brightly-lit grass area for informal play. Reservoir Park is not quite big enough to let young children run completely free, particularly given that it is surrounded on three sides by streets, one of which is relatively busy, but that could just be the doting parent in me.
Rotary Centennial Park
Along the old Pacific Electric right-of-way near Pacific Coast Highway and Junipero Avenue is Rotary Centennial Park, tucked behind a commercial corridor and adjacent housing. Though receiving relatively few visitors, the apartment buildings overlooking the park, as well as accessibility from three streets, do provide some sense of engagement with the surrounding community. The centrally located playground keeps children away from the street, providing them with a near-complete run of the park. Two age-specific areas provided Carter with familiar and challenging play structures, including plenty of slides and swings. Public art in the park is approachable for children, with a large sun dial and human-size concrete marbles distributed throughout the space. Given that this park is a little short of open space, expanding it northward (if the car wash located on that end of the park were ever to come up for sale) would be a welcome addition.
Mothers Beach
Having lived in the Marine Stadium area when in high school, I have long been familiar with Mothers Beach as a place to find sand volleyball courts free from windy conditions. But within the last year and with the addition of the new playground where Attica Drive hits Appian Way, it has become a regular stop on Carter’s park circuit. The new addition to Mothers Beach has only made the popular family destination more congested, forcing us to avoid visiting during busy periods. Much of the play equipment is for climbing, a good change for Carter (who will spend all his time on swings and slides if given the chance). The bright blue structure is a grand experience your child will enjoy and the adjacent water does provide an outlet at times the structure might get crowded.
Whaley Park
On Atherton Street, behind Cal State Long Beach, one can discover the triple playgrounds of Whaley Park. These three age-specific children play areas are well-insulated from major streets by the Los Altos YMCA and the park’s community center. There is nothing especially compelling about the play equipment; no thematic or interesting design elements, just straightforward fun. Carter enjoyed running between the various structures to play with the different clusters of children, which prevented us from growing roots on a bench. Though the park is very well populated with people (a great social space on the Eastside) due to the large number of soccer fields, playgrounds, and regular events, there always still seemed to be enough room for Carter to break out into a sprint on the grassy field. The playground area of Whaley Park is also well-populated with shade-making tree.
Please share your suggestions for additional playgrounds for us to visit. We will take them for a test run and report back to readers.
