Sunday, April 17, 2011

Las Vegas Park Review #1: Mountain's Edge Exploration Peak Park

So over the past few months we've been on a hunt for a great park for our 13-month-old.  It's sort of tough here in Las Vegas.  Summerlin has a ton of parks, but otherwise there's not much to get excited about.  The public schools lock up their grounds, so we can't even access the slide, etc, at the elementary school that's one block away.  (Is that common?  They don't do that in Nebraska.)  Anyway, here's the wish list for The Ideal Park:

- Baby swings.  Preferably several.
- A lot of grass to run around in.  Preferably soft grass.  (I know, I know.  That's not Earth-friendly here in the desert, but it's the wish list so I can wish for it, right?)
- Slides for little kids. 
- Separate play spaces for little kids and big kids.
- Zero-depth water play spaces.
- Shade.
- Sand.  Not open desert "sand."
- Clean & safe. 
- Bathrooms that don't horrify me.
- Security.
- Oft-emptied garbage bins.
- Other activity centers for little kids, like those things they sit on that are essentially atop big springs.

We've been to several now, here's the first:

Mountain's Edge Exploration Peak Park
Pros:
1. This park has fantastic grass.  Lush, green grass, and a lot of it.  C ran and ran in it.
2. Each time we've been there I've seen at least one, but usually two security guards with bikes.  I've never seen any unsavory sorts out there or even any rowdy teenagers. 
3. While people have their dogs there often, I've never seen much evidence that they don't pick up after them. 
4.  There's a nice-ish area with sand, although it's not really the sand I meant, it's pretty nice little area.
5.  There's a water feature, although it hasn't been running in the times we've been out there.  It's probably too soon.
6.  Clean and free of garbage.
7.  Many small shady spots.
8.  Beautiful and well-maintained plants.
9.  Walking trails, although they're not toddler-friendly.

Cons:
1.  Just two baby swings.
2.  Playground equipment is geared more towards older kids.  Maybe age 4 and up or so.  It is fantastic equipment, though.
3.  Very busy on weekends. 

We haven't been in the restrooms, but the building looks nice.  Generally a security guard is in the vicinity, too.



water playground



between the tower in the background and the rope jungle gym is a slide that goes through rock



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