Equipment by Earthscape.
Surface: wood chips.
In close proximity to bigger and better-known parks (Dufferin Grove to the west, Christie Pits to the north, and Trinity-Bellwoods to the south) the Fred Hamilton Playground is probably not on the radar for most families who live outside of the neighbourhood. But with a recent rejuvenation and a quieter setting than those bigger options, this is a good little spot.
My first impression was that the equipment was a bit sparse, and that they might have run out of money the day before ordering the paint. The white un-painted freshness of the wooden climber and the Log Jam are striking, but they do give the place a bit of an incomplete feeling. Don’t get me wrong, Earthscape’s climbers are always worth a visit, but they look even better when sporting some colour, like the recently-built one on Howard Street.
Despite the initial impression of sparseness however, the longer we stayed the more I appreciated just how many play possibilities there are here. Aside from the traditional equipment, there’s also a splash pad, a sandbox with a water feature, a table tennis table, and even a bocce court that was in use during our visit. And if the immediate surroundings don’t offer enough options, there’s another playground at the Catholic school across the street along with a large soccer field, and yet more play options across from that at a public school on the other side of Ossington.
Another interesting quirk: there’s an old-school hand-cranked water pump just north of the playground that appears to have the ability to send a little stream down the hill to the vegetation below. It was too early in the season for any of the water features to work when we went, but if that functions in the summer, I could see toddlers getting a big kick out of it.
So even though it could use some colour (sadly, the lack of colour seems to have provided a fresh canvas for a bizarre assortment of Sharpie graffiti, with scrawled messages ranging from “boobz” to “respect your mother”) this is another good new option for west-side parents. If your kids are younger, nearby Art Eggleton Park is probably better…but this one is around the corner from the legendary Lakeview Diner, so let your hunger guide you as much as your drive to play.