PARC DE LA CHANTERELLE

Arrondissment: La Haute-Saint-Charles

Address: 1525 rue de l'Innovation

Nearest bus stop: Emerson (70, 77, 84, 984)

Parking: Free parking in the Parc-o-Bus

Playground surface: Sand; wood chips

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

Swings? Yes - 3 for babies; 3 for older children

Sandbox? Yes

Splashpad? Yes

Swimming pool? Yes, there is an indoor one which I think is part of the nearby secondary school.

Toilets? Yes, but they were closed when we visited.

Picnic tables? Yes

Other facilities: American football pitch, basketball courts, football (soccer) pitches, skate ramp, tennis courts.

What I liked: For some reason, Sebastian loved running around the synthetic football pitch shouting “All blue!“ (the astroturf or whatever it was is blue and green).

What I didn’t like: One of the slides is boarded-up.

PARC SAINT-DENYS

Arrondissment: Sainte-Foy–Sillery–Cap-Rouge

Address: 2770 rue de la Picardie (sort of behind Place Laurier)

Nearest bus stop: None but it’s not far from the busy bus routes of Chemin des Quatre-Bourgeois or Boulevard Laurier.

Parking: Free car park

Playground surface: Wood chips

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

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

Sandbox? Yes

Splashpad? No

Swimming pool? Yes but it is currently closed for renovation until next year.

Toilets? No

Picnic tables? Yes

Other facilities: Basketball court, football pitch, ice rink, tennis courts.

What I liked: Quiet, plenty of shade.

What I didn’t like: Nothing.

PLACE DE LA FAMILLE

Arrondissment: La Cité-Limoilou

Address: 250 Boulevard Wilfrid-Hamel

Nearest bus stop: Centre de Foires (bus 802)

Parking: Free car parks (when there are no events in the ExpoCité). P6 is the closest. 

Playground surface: Synthetic

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

Swings? No

Sandbox? No

Splashpad? Yes

Swimming pool? No

Toilets? There are toilets in the nearby Grand Marché.

Picnic tables? Yes

Other facilities: 4.5 metre climbing wall.

What I liked: This brand new, $2 million playground, opened in July 2020, was designed to be like an adventure course in the treetops, inspired by Peter Pan, and it is very impressive. I particularly liked its spongy, absorbent synthetic surface. In fact I wish all playgrounds had the same - and not just because of its ability to cushion falls. It was a relief to let Penelope crawl around on the ground without worrying about her eating sand or wood chips.

There is plenty of seating around the playground – picnic tables, Adirondack chairs – in the shade of hundred-year-old trees.

The new Grand Marché is a few steps away if you feel hungry or thirsty. (My husband Matthew recommends the lobster roll from the Gaspé-based fishmonger Délices de la Mer).

What I didn’t like: It’s always busy and crowded, with long lines of children waiting at the top of the main structure – 6 metres up – to use the tube slide. Personally, I would hate being stuck in there for any length of time, especially on a hot day. Just looking at them made me feel a bit claustrophobic. But that’s me. I was also a bit disappointed that it didn’t have more for toddlers. Sebastian was knocked over by older children several times.