PARC FERLAND

Arrondissment: La Cité-Limoilou Address: 1600 8e Avenue Nearest bus stop: 8e Avenue (buses 3, 4, 36, 802) Parking: Free parking lot Playground surface: Wood chips Age range: 12 months+ Swings? Yes - 4 for babies; 4 for older children Sandbox? No Splashpad? Yes Swimming pool? Yes, there is an indoor pool in the adjoining community center Toilets? Yes, in the adjoining community center Picnic tables? Yes Other facilities: Basketball court, beach volleyball court, ice rink, petanque terrain. If you’re in Limoilou, this is a great alternative to Parc Cartier-Brébeuf if it’s crowded there, as it sometimes is. Despite being wedged in between a community center, Cégep Limoilou and some railroad tracks, it’s very quiet and serene there and is a green oasis for that part of the neighborhood. There are also several picnic tables and benches. It’s a pretty spacious park with separate play structures for younger and older kids. It’s clean and well-maintained, except for the slide for the younger kids which is broken and has been boarded off all summer. The slide for older kids is very high and not suitable for very young ones. The park also has a splash pad with an interesting art installation overhanging it –clothes hanging on a line, which you’ll see often in Limoilou. There are also some enormous, beautiful trees which create very good tree cover, so there’s plenty of shade at all times during the day.

The adjoining community center is a busy destination for summer day camps, and during the winter its huge pool is used for swimming lessons for all ages.

CENTRE DE LOISIRS LA CAVÉE

Arrondissment: Beauport

Address: 69 Avenue Juchereau

Nearest bus stop: St-Jules (buses 54, 57, 250, 254, 255, 350, 354, 550, 800)

Parking: Free car park

Playground surface: Wood chips

Age range: 18 months+

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

Sandbox? No

Splashpad? No

Swimming pool? No

Toilets? No

Picnic tables? Yes - made from stone and super easy to clean and disinfect :)

Other facilities: River and Falls of Beauport

This location is a hidden gem in Beauport. It is beside the walking trail and biking path that runs alongside of the Rivière Beauport. This is an easy trail to walk with little ones to get some shade, throw rocks in the river and if you do the whole trail from the park upwards it will lead to a large beautiful waterfall. This playground is an excellent place for children who love to climb and seems to have an alien/spaceship theme. Very well maintained.

CENTRE SAINTE-ANNE

Note: The leisure centre is closed over the summer.

Address:10000 Boulevard Sainte-Anne

Nearest bus stop: None

Parking: Free car park

Playground surface: Wood chips

Age range:12 months+

Swings? Yes - 2 baby swings and 8-10 swings for older children

Sandbox? No

Splashpad? No

Swimming pool? Yes

Toilets? Unsure - the pool wasn’t open when I was there but there was a building by the pool. I was just unable to see.

Picnic tables? Yes, with shade

Other facilities: Basketball court, soccer field.

This is a great quiet playground just outside Quebec City, just past Boischatel. There is a large soccer field beside the playground. There are 2 playgrounds at this location (a larger one for older kids and a smaller one for the younger ones). There is also a basketball court right beside the smaller one. This would be a great location for a picnic and to spend a morning as there is so much to do and all within eye sight as the location is very open. It is also right beside a walking trail that runs alongside the St. Lawrence River. So far this is one of my favorite locations!