Wichita, Kansas, is getting a grandparents park, thanks to a grant from AARP. A walking path and exercise station are planned, and a toddler playground may be added in the future. The park will feature that other grandparent necessity: benches.
I enjoy taking my grands to parks and playgrounds, but a park just for grandparents is kind of a new concept, although I remember blogging about the Hyde Park Senior Playground in London. That facility is really like an outdoor gym, with six pieces of fitness equipment.
If I were designing an ideal park for grandparents, it would be beside a lake or pond, because water feeds my spirit. It would be partly wooded and partly open, because open spaces let the spirit soar. It would have a walking path wide enough for two to walk abreast and maybe some of those porch swings on stands, preferably facing the water. And benches, lots of benches.
What would your perfect grandparent park look like?
Oh! I want to go to your park! The walking paths along the water’s edge and porch swings. Oh and the water would have ducks so you could sit on those benches or on the swing and throw seed to them or have your grandchild do it while you take pictures!
Except for the benches, you have described our ten acres. It is a wonderful place for our grandchildren and for us.
Waterfall and tons of color in all the seasons.
Geez, we moved from KS about 10 years ago and now they go and get a special grandparents park – not fair. If I was designing a grandparent park, there would have to be water with ducks and other wildlife, a playground including swings for adults, rocks to climb on, picnic tables, benches, and a nice walking trail. Sounds wonderful.
I love all of your ideas, plus I’d like a water fountain that the kids were allowed to wade and play in. Children always love water fountains and I’d love to sit on a bench on a warm summer’s day and watch my grandson play in it. Perhaps even join in the play as well, if it’s warm enough!
I cannot add anything else to what the other commenters have said about more ideas. I would LOVE to have a park like this nearby! For me, the best part would be that ONLY other grandparents were present. How much fun to have your grandkids play while you make friends with others who share your same experiences, both good and bad!
This Wichita Park has no water features. On the south is a wood fence that could fall on somebody if they aren’t careful. Dated to Lady Bird Johnson (if that rings a bell). Unless the city changes the mowing schedule, weeds will be getting quite tall again this year. I really hope things change. The new walking path is great, and the contractors not only did a great job, but were friendly to residents (tall and small). I hope they are the ones to come back to fix the sidewalk destroyed when the big trucks drove on it to pick up limbs after the ice storm, in the area where the gas company left the hole after moving the gas valves above ground. Possibly contacting the neighbors, or answering questions, called in to the city, might be helpful.
Gp neighbor, I’m so sorry to hear that the park has all of these problems. Perhaps AARP would be interested to know that it is being so poorly maintained, since it was created with an AARP grant. But your comment is a good reminder that it’s not enough to create spaces for recreation. There must be a dedication to maintenance and improvement as well.