Friday, July 7, 2017

Veterans Memorial Park, Union



Location: 18-98 Progress Pkwy, Union, MO 63084

Website: http://www.ci.union.mo.us/living_here/parks_and_recreation/park_facilities.php

Playground Ground Cover: Wood chips and Poured Rubber

Amenities: 3 playgrounds, baseball, softball, football, soccer and t-ball fields, family shelters, picnic areas, a fishing lake and a 1 mile loop walking trail.  In addition, a splash park is open seasonally.

First of all, don't blow this off because it's in Union. This is a destination park and is totally worth the drive. From Chesterfield Mall it's 38 minutes, and from South County Center it's 38 minutes.

This park is a 43.8-acre multi-use park located off of Progress Parkway in east Union and it opened in Spring 2017.

In my opinion, the splash pad is the best I've ever seen so I'm starting with that.

It's completely enclosed by a fence and has a huge variety of sprayers, buckets that drop water, water cannons, and more. It's concrete and it's bright and colorful. I love that it's fenced in and the bathrooms are right there and are new and clean with a big pavilion as well. It's basically everything you could ever want in a splash pad.














There is plenty of seating because they made this stone ledge that goes all the way around the splashpad and the parking lot is real close with tons of parking as well.



As if that's not enough there are also 3 amazing playgrounds in the park. The first one you come to has a poured rubber surface.



There is a teeter totter that seats 4, a small playstructure with rolly slide and another slide and small rock wall, a modified merry go round, a saucer swing, and 2 baby swings.



The big attraction though are the 2 zip lines. One is a standard one and one is an adaptive one where you can sit down. The tracks are side by side and SUPER long. 






The large playstructure has this cool climbing wall that bends, tons of cool bars and poles and climbing things, spring steps, a hammock, and slides.










Spinner





There is another playground further back in the park closer to the splash pad. This one has wood chips.




It has 2 playstructures and the highlight of the smaller one is the boat that rocks. 



The larger one has a ton of activities. Climbing things, drums, tunnel, slides, a bridge, and more.









The last playground is the one next to the splash pad, it was built last. It's on the other side of the pavilion. 



The ground covering is blue loose rubber mulch.


There is a blue rock wall with spider webbing, 2 tall slides, a modified merry-go-round, stepping stones, and lots of bars and poles. 








There is a sling swing, a baby swing, an adaptive swing, and an expression swing.





It's not completely enclosed with a fence, but it is fenced along the side that runs by the parking lot.


Wednesday, July 5, 2017

McAuley Playground at Hansen Park, Cottleville



Location: 1360 St. Peters Cottleville Rd, Cottleville, MO 63376

Website: http://www.cityofcottleville.com/home/parks-and-recreation/mcauley-park

Playground Ground Cover: Poured Rubber

This playground is finally open and it's amazing! But that's not surprising because it's an Unlimited Play Playground and they are all amazing! The name was chosen in recognition of Sister of Mercy Founder Catherine McAuley, who had special concern for children and women who were poor and underserved. The McAuley Playground, a place where limitations will be forgotten and differences are celebrated, is a partnership between Mercy Kids, Unlimited Play and the city of Cottleville. 

Here is the complete list of Unlimited Play Playgrounds in our area. 

Most of the playground is enclosed by a fence and even has a misting station.




There are 2 saucer swings. There used to be a Liberty swing but it's not there anymore. 




There are also 2 baby swings, 2 adaptive swings, and 2 sling swings.



There are so many different slides including the ever popular "Rolly Slide".



Modified Merry Go Round



I love the castle theme and the shamrocks everywhere



What a cool tunnel!


Musical equipment



Misting station























This park has it all, except a restroom. They haven't been built yet but there is a port a potty.