PARC NOTRE-DAME DE BELLEVUE

Arrondissment: La Cité-Limoilou

Address: 827 avenue de Vimy (off Chemin Sainte-Foy)

Nearest bus stop: de Vimy (807,907)

Parking: Free street parking (maximum 1 hour)

Playground surface: Wood chips

Age range: 18 months-5 years

Swings? Yes - 4 for babies; 4 for older children

Sandbox? No

Splashpad? No

Swimming pool? No

Toilets? No

Picnic benches? Yes

Other facilities: Petanque

What I liked: It’s on a quiet cul-de-sac, across the street from the Bellevue complex, which houses Loisirs Saint-Sacrement. Though the playground equipment here is older, with faded, peeling paint and weird, grammatically incorrent English graffiti, children seem to love it. Older visitors enjoy the stone chess tables and petanque terrain.

What I didn’t like: In summer, the park is used by day camps, as well as many of the nearby daycares, so it can be very busy and crowded.

Tip: Loisirs Saint-Sacrement is responsible for this park, as well as many others in the area. In normal times, they have lots of great activities for children and adults. I particularly like their excellent salle de psychomotricité (motor skills room) for toddlers, which is free to use. They also offer free tea and coffee, toilets, changing facilities and parking. They are located across the street at door number 4.

PARC RENÉ-ROBITAILLE

Arrondissment: Les Rivières

Address: 2701 rue Robitaille

Nearest bus stop: Robitaille (buses 86, 279)

Parking: Free street parking

Playground surface: Wood chips

Age range: 18 months-5 years

Swings? Yes - 2 for babies; 4 for older children

Sandbox? Yes

Splashpad? No

Swimming pool? No

Toilets? No

Picnic benches? No

Other facilities: None

What I liked: The train structure is enclosed, so Penelope was able to crawl around inside it safely. (She isn’t able to climb yet).

What I didn’t like: The sandbox is really small.

PARC DES SOURCES

Arrondissment: Sainte-Foy–Sillery–Cap-Rouge

Address: 1140 rue du Capitaine-Bernier

Nearest bus stop: C.-Albanel (bus 14)

Parking: Free street parking

Playground surface: Sand; wood chips

Age range: 18 months-5 years; 5-12 years

Swings? Yes

Sandbox? Yes

Splashpad? Yes

Swimming pool? No

Toilets? Unknown – probably in the main building?

Picnic tables? Unknown – I will check next time.

Other facilities: Basketball courts, beach volleyball court, ice rink, tennis courts.

What I liked: The playground comprises four or five different areas (though I think at least two of them are part of the neighbouring primary school). The sand was the cleanest/least dirty I have seen.

What I didn’t like: The locals seemed a bit snobby - not one but two of them asked me what I was doing there! The splashpad is somewhat basic. There was a lot of litter in it at the weekend.