Great Parks!

Great Parks! PrairieWalk Pond and Dragonfly Landing in Lisle

2012-07-23T11:50:00Z

When I was compiling the Splash Pad Guide, I learned of a new spot: Dragonfly Landing in Lisle. So on a sweltering day in mid-July, the preschooler and I decided to check it out.

A very unique flower at Dragonfly Landing in Lisle. Photo by Tara Burghart.Park Name: PrairieWalk Pond and Dragonfly Landing, a 4.5 acre natural area funded with help from a $400,000 grant from the Illinois Department of Natural Resources. PrairieWalk Pond serves as a storm water retention basin that supports the redevelopment in downtown Lisle. It opened in October 2010. Dragonfly Landing, which features a splash pad and playground, opened in June 2011.

Location: Just west of Main Street in downtown Lisle. The park is bordered by Route 53 on the west, Ogden Avenue on the north, Burlington Avenue on the South and Garfield Avenue on the east. (If you are using your GPS, it's probably easiest to navigate to the intersection of Garfield and Burlington avenues. Street parking is not allowed; instead you can park in a public lot off Garfield Avenue. The spots under the trees do not require a permit. You'll see the signs.)

Amenities: PrairieWalk Pond features a 2-acre pond with a lighted path around it, a number of scenic overlooks, a preserved wetland and a gazebo. It also features more than 100 different types of native plants, grasses, shrubs and trees. plus educational signage. Dragonfly Landing is a nature-themed splash pad with "giant" flowers that mist water. It also has a picnic shelter with a living "green" roof (although it's brown this year because of the drought) and a playground that in addition to your normal slides and climbing walls features spinning "cat tails" and bouncy, wooden "lily pads." There are no restrooms, just a portable toilet and a hand-washing station. The park has a water fountain.

Admission: Parking and the park are free. The splash pad is open from 11 a.m. to 6 p.m. daily. It opened from the season on Memorial Day weekend, and while I can't find this info for sure, I bet it closes for the season Labor Day weekend.

Great Parks: North Aurora Island Park

2012-06-15T18:05:00Z

If you're looking for a nice spot to picnic along the Fox River (No. 6 on the Go West Sand Pail List) you won't go wrong with the latest in our "Great Parks!" series.

Park Name: North Aurora Island Park, a nearly 10-acre park that is part of the Fox Valley Park District.

This fish is one of the "park pets" at North Aurora Island Park. Photo by Tara Burghart.Location: In the middle of the Fox River in North Aurora, just south of Route 56 (Butterfield Road). To get there, use either Route 31 or Route 25 to get to North Aurora, then the State Street Bridge across the Fox River. The park, and its parking lots, are to the south of State Street.

Amenities: The park underwent a major renovation in 2009. It features two shelters, restrooms, a picnic area, trail access and water access. I confess I didn't check out the restrooms, so I'm not sure if they are just port-a-potties or something more permanent. The playground is extensive and features lots of slides, climbing opportunities, monkeybar-like elements, a teeter-totter, two huge fish sculptures and eight swings, including baby swings. There is also a large sandpit with boulder "outcroppings," so make sure to bring your sand toys! It's easy to walk to the riverfront to feed birds, admire nature or skip rocks.

Good for: Children who love to play in the sand or get up close to nature and the river. (A textured concrete walkway in the playground contains real blue heron and raccoon tracks imprinted in it.) Also for parents who appreciate a modern, very clean playground in a scenic setting.

Great Parks! Lions Park in Elburn

2012-05-09T16:00:00Z

The latest in the "Great Parks!" series is one especially for all the kids who love sand, and for the parents who love them.

The tire swing at Lions Club Park in Elburn was a hit with my preschooler. Photo by Tara Burghart.Park Name: Lions Park in Elburn. Rather than being part of a local park district, the 25-acre Lions Park is owned and operated by the Elburn Lions Club. Lions Clubs International is the world's largest service organization.

Location: 500 South Filmore St. in Elburn, just one block west of Main Street (Route 47).

Amenities: Lions Park features two baseball diamonds, a number of picnic tables and benches. The playground is very large instead of being surrounded by mulch, there is sand underneath. The playground has extensive equipment for preschoolers and older children, as well as a small toddler playground. There is a set of swings (including two baby swings) and also two tire swings, as well as a very small merry-go-round (don't worry - we couldn't get it to go very fast.) It also features two "backhoes" that kids operate with their hands to scoop up and dump sand. There are indoor bathrooms in the Elburn Lions Club clubhouse, but they were closed when we visited on a recent weekday afternoon. Alternately, there were two portable toilets.

Great Parks! Rocket Ship Park in St. Charles

2011-10-21T15:00:00Z

I'm optimstic that we have plenty of park weather left this falll, so this week we visit a park that will appeal to all the little astronauts out there.

Kehoe Park in St. Charles. Photo by Tara Burghart.Park Name: Kehoe Park, part of the St. Charles Park District. It is better known, however, as "Rocket Ship Park" because of the - you guessed it - rocket ship slide on the playground.

Location: Located at the intersection of 8th, Prairie and Howard Streets in St. Charles. It's located between downtown St. Charles and Randall Road. There is no parking lot, but street parking is easy.

Amenities: This is a small, 1.5-acre neighborhood park. It features a modern playground, 1960s-era rocket ship slide, swingset, drinking fountain and a small gazebo with a picnic table. It does not have bathrooms or a portable toilet.

Good For: Kids who love pretending to be astronauts or space aliens. The playground is good for all ages, although the area aimed at toddlers is connected by a swaying bridge to the equipment aimed at older kids.

Great Parks! Waa Kee Sha Park Park in Oswego

2011-10-12T18:20:00Z

If you’re looking to find some peace and quiet, the most recent spot in our “Great Parks!” series might be a perfect fit.

The playground at Waa Kee Sha Park. Photo by Tara Burghart.Park Name and Size: Waa Kee Sha Park. It is 22 acres and part of the Oswegoland Park District.

Location: Located at 4700 Reservation Road in Oswego. (I used my car’s GPS to find the park; For those of you who are more familiar with Oswego, the park district’s website notes that it is located on the south side of Reservation Road, off of Grove Road.)

Amenities: A playground; swingset; large picnic shelter; grills and picnic tables; natural area; trails for hiking and cross country skiing; horseshoe pits; fire ring; portable toilet.

Good For: Families, children, birthday parties and other large gatherings, hikers, cross-country skiiers.

Our Experience: My daughter and I were in Oswego a few weeks ago, and I wanted to check out something new to us. I got on my smart phone, went to the Oswegoland Park District’s list of parks and headed toward Waa Kee Sha Park solely because I was intrigued by its name.

Great Parks! Headwaters Conservation Area in Campton Township

2011-10-06T06:30:01Z

Our latest in the "Great Parks!" series is one of the best-kept secrets in the far western 'burbs. It isn't easy to find on a map, but it's definitely worth the effort to get there.

The gazebo at the Headwaters Conservation Area. Photo by Tara Burghart.Park Name: Headwaters Conservation Area in Campton Township, west of Geneva.

Location: According to Campton Township, the address is 43W535 Beith Road, but I couldn’t get that to come up on Google Maps or my car’s GPS system.

So here are directions: From a starting point of Randall Road and State Street (Route 38) in Geneva, head west on Route 38 for about 4 miles. You’ll see a yellow road sign indicating Beith Road is coming up. Take a right on Beith Road and head north on it (up a rolling hill) for about 1 ½ miles. The entrance to Headwaters Conservation Area will be on your left. The parking lot is near the entrance. If youre coming from farther west, Beith Road eventually meets up with Route 47.

Amenities: This is a 349-acre site, most of it devoted to open space. It includes a great playground with equipment for both younger and older children; picnic shelters and tables; charcoal grills; gravel walking trails; equestrian trails; a viewing platform; a fenced off-leash dog area; prairie and wetland restoration areas and a small woodland. There are no indoor restrooms, but there is a portable toilet near the parking lot.

Good For: Families, children, dog owners, walkers, horse riders, nature lovers. The park is made up of three parcels acquired over several years by Campton Township to preserve the headwaters of Blackberry Creek.

Great Parks! Pottawatomie Park in St. Charles

2011-09-02T15:40:00Z

Those of you who live in or grew up in St. Charles are probably thinking “No duh. Of course Pottawatomie is a great park.” So this story is for the rest of you!

In the Native Plant Demonstration Garden at Pottawatomie Park. Photo by Tara Burghart.Park Name: Pottawatomie Park, part of the St. Charles Park District.

Location: The park is located on the east side of the Fox River, four blocks north of Route 64 (Main Street) and three blocks west of Route 25. If you’re looking for an address for your GPS, 8 North Avenue in St. Charles will work.

Amenities: Oh gosh. Where to start? This 92-acre park includes a community center, Swanson Pool, a 9-hole golf course, an 18-hole mini-golf course, paddlewheel riverboats, several rentable pavilions, a bandshell, summertime pedal boat and canoe rentals, lighted softball fields, lighted tennis courts, sand volleyball court, a native plant demonstration garden, fishing, picnic tables, paved trail system and two playgrounds. There are two sets of restrooms.

Good For: All ages. One playground (near the tennis courts) is best for the younger set, while the playground on the hill would appeal to older kids. Parents and grandparents will like the Native Plant Demonstration Garden, as well as the paddlewheel riverboats.

Our Experience: While we swam at Swanson Pool several times this summer, it had been probably a year since my daughter and I visited the rest of Pottawatomie Park. I have no idea why, because it truly is a fabulous park, with something for everyone.

Great Parks! Lake Ellyn Park in Glen Ellyn

2011-08-25T15:45:00Z

Has this steamy summer prompted you to search for a park with a shaded playground? Well, we have a great park to suggest!

Looking out at the small lake in Lake Ellyn. Photo by Tara Burghart.Park Name: Lake Ellyn Park

Location: 645 Lenox Road (at Linden Avenue) in northeast Glen Ellyn. The park is located just to the north of Glenbard West High School. There is no parking lot by the playground, you just park on the street.

Amenities: This 25-acre park features a 10-acre lake, fishing deck, boathouse, picnic area, walking paths, playground, see-saw and swings, including two swings for babies. The public restrooms, located inside the boathouse, are open from April through October. In the winter, Lake Ellyn offers outdoor ice skating and a warming house.

Good for: All ages, but especially preschoolers since the playground equipment is less challenging than some newer playgrounds I've seen.

Our Experience: A friend and I were looking to shake up our playdate routine a bit, so she planned a wonderful July outing to Lake Ellyn Park, followed by lunch at 2 Toots Train Whistle Grill in downtown Glen Ellyn.

My daughter and I met my friend and her two children (ages 3 and 1) at Lake Ellyn Park on a morning that was hot but not yet unbearable. My first impression was that the park is surrounded by some seriously beautiful old homes. My next impression? Shade! Shade! Shade! This lovely park has wonderful old trees, and much of the playground is covered in shade.

Great Parks! Northside Park in Wheaton

2011-07-15T12:15:00Z

I’ve wanted to check out a park in Wheaton for a while now, so I asked a dedicated GWYM reader and Wheaton resident for a suggestion. She told me Northside Park had undergone a lot of updates and had a wonderful playground. Within a couple of days, my daughter and I were there for a fun afternoon outing.

The new playground at Northside Park. Photos by Tara Burghart.Park Name: Northside Park

Location: 1300 N. West Street in Wheaton, which is about 18 blocks north of Route 38/Roosevelt Road. For those of you familiar with Cosley Zoo, Northside Park is only about a mile away. I had trouble getting to the park because I didn’t have an exact address and kept running into dead-end streets. But if you travel north on North West Street, you’ll run right into the main entrance.

Amenities: This park is nearly 70 acres in size and features a picnic shelter next to the playground; four basketball courts; six lighted tennis courts; three ballfields; two soccer fields; and accessible public washrooms inside a shelter building. There is a gravel path around a large lagoon, in which visitors can fish.

The impressive playground features a tot playground as well as a playground for older kids. Both have lots of climbing options and slides. The playground also features a tire swing; see saw; three 8-foot-high slides set on steep hill; and a 90-foot-long zip line (!!!). The swing set has swings for babies as well as accessible swings. The surface is cushy rubber mulch. Nearby is a sand play area and some water sprayers. (More on this later.)

In the winter, Northside offers an ice rink for skating, a sled hill and warming house. In the summer, it has an outdoor pool, although the pool has been closed due to an electricity outage from the severe storms earlier this week.

Good For: All Ages.

Great Parks! The Riverwalk in Batavia

2011-06-24T12:20:00Z

I love a good theme, and the playground at the Riverwalk in Batavia has a great theme: Boats. That and its lovely location and sense of history make it our latest in the “Great Parks!” series.

Several windmills made in Batavia have been erected along the Riverwalk. Photo by Tara Burghart.Park Name: Batavia Riverwalk

Location: Houston Street at Island Avenue in downtown Batavia, along the Fox River. If you’re driving on Wilson Street (the main east-west route through downtown Batavia) turn north onto Island Avenue (at the McDonald’s) and proceed until you see several public parking lots.

Amenities: Playground, picnic area, shelter, bicycle path, fishing area, performing arts pavilion, wildflower sanctuary, paddleboat rentals, and in the winter, an outdoor ice rink. There was a portable toilet located near the playground; it might also be possible to use the restrooms in the nearby Government Center during business hours. Here’s a link to a map of the Riverwalk’s amenities.

Good For: The playground is good for ages 2-3 and up. The Riverwalk would be wonderful for everything from a ramble with a baby in a stroller to a romantic promenade with your partner.

Our Experience: The Riverwalk is a peaceful and picturesque spot, located on a 12-acre peninsula and therefore featuring gorgeous views of the Fox River. Yet it is located just a few blocks off the main drag through downtown Batavia. It’s the hub for many of Batavia’s community events, including the River Rhapsody Concert Series on Wednesday nights this summer, the Windmill City Festival in July as well as the Art in Your Eye Fine Art Show & Festival in August.

My daughter and I spent a very fun evening at the Riverwalk this spring. She loved the playground equipment, which is all on one level (about 5 feet off the ground) and designed to look like a boat. It features a couple of slides, a cargo net, a climbing ladder and a bell kids can ring, Some boys played a lively game of “pirates” while we were there. The playground also features some spinning chairs and musical instruments.