PARC PRÉVERT

Arrondissment: Les Rivières

Address: 1475 rue Virginia-Woolf

Nearest bus stop: Several buses including the 72 and the 82 stop nearby on Boulevard Bastien. Buses 70 and 75 stop near the community centre on boulevard la Morille.

Parking: Free car park and free street parking

Playground surface: Wood chips

Age range: 18 months-12 years

Swings? Yes - 3 for babies; 3 for older children, plus an adaptive swing for children over 5 with disabilities (see photo)

Sandbox? Yes

Splashpad? Yes

Swimming pool? No but there is a heated outdoor one at the nearby community centre (Loisirs Lebourgneuf).

Toilets? Probably in the community centre buildings but they were closed when we were there.

Picnic tables? Yes

Other facilities: Baseball field; basketball court; football (soccer) pitches; ice rink; petanque terrains; skate ramps; tennis courts.

What I liked: There is so much to do in this playground. Even though some parts are designed for older children, Sebastian was able to use them easily with little help from me.

What I didn’t like: The equipment is for both younger and older children. It made me very nervous when big kids were running back and forth across the rope bridge (where the holes are big enough for toddlers to fall through) while Sebastian was on it!

PARC SAINT-FRANÇOIS-XAVIER

Arrondissement: Les Rivières

Address: 2175 rue Laurent-Laroche

Nearest bus stop: Laverdière (bus 86)

Parking: Free street parking

Playground surface: Wood chips

Age range: 18 months-12 years

Swings? Yes - 2 for babies; 2 for older children

Sandbox? No

Splashpad? Yes

Swimming pool?

Toilets? No

Picnic tables? Yes

Other facilities: Ice rink

What I liked: This is a brand new playground, built last year. I loved the space theme, especially the rocket ship climber. I also liked the wheelchair-accessible picnic tables.

What I didn’t like: Unusually, there is a single set of playground equipment for children aged 18 months to 12 years. If you have smaller children, you'll probably want to keep them away when large groups from the primary school nextdoor come to use it. Luckily, when we were there, they only stayed for about 20 minutes.

PARC DU MARAIS

Arrondissment: Les Rivières

Address: rue du Marais

Nearest bus stop: Paquin/5135 (bus 86)

Parking: I parked outside the nearby Metro supermarket.

Playground surface: Wood chips

Age range: 5-12 years

Swings? Yes - 2 for babies, plus an Expression (parent-baby) swing

Sandbox? No

Splashpad? No

Swimming pool? No

Toilets? No

Picnic tables? Yes

Other facilities: None

What I liked: This is a cool forest-themed playground on the edge of a small pond surrounded by marshland. Even if your children are too young for the equipment, you can enjoy a pleasant quiet walk around the pond.

What I didn’t like: The playground is overlooked by the l’Aventura apartment complex, part of which is still under construction. There is nothing for younger children except the swings. Some of the walkway around the pond has fallen into disrepair, with big gaps over the water.