A few weeks ago, we were trying to head to Stanley Park via transit for a free concert when a traffic jam made us change up our plans. Instead, we headed to Yaletown and David Lam Park. We were not familiar with playgrounds in Yaletown, and honestly weren’t in love with the one we found at David Lam Park.
Despite being a beautiful park, with the waterfront views and seawall, the playground area was not that great. There were a few different play structures as well as swings, offering a variety of options for kids, but it was a very “concrete” area and I was not in love with that.
Do you have an opinion on this playground?
On our way to West Van one day, we decided to stop at a playground in the Norgate area. Not being familiar with the area, we ended up at Norgate Community Elementary. After immense success at Ridgeway, I was excited to try more Elementary playgrounds before school resumed this Fall.
The playground area is gigantic, featuring older and newer play areas for various age ranges. There is an accessible area that is also great for early walkers, as well as slides and swings galore. There was what appeared to be a table for water play, though there wasn’t water anywhere to be seen. Maybe I misunderstood its purpose.
The school isn’t the nicest in North Van, so it’s not great to look at, but the playground was fun. Aiden wasn’t really interested in play that day, so we stayed only briefly, but I would definitely recommend it as a strong playground for the area.
I have never wanted my children to play with toy guns of any sort. I think there are many more appropriate types of pretend play. If Aiden made a stick a gun, so be it, but toy guns would not be in our house.
I hadn’t yet decided how to approach water guns though. They are pretty damn fun, after all. And now, before I’ve had a chance to figure it out, Aiden has had his first water gun experience with neighboring kids.
It’s not a big deal and I don’t mind, it’s just one of those parenting ‘decisions’ that came and went and had to just be shrugged off. Fun is fun, and Aiden made a cute water cowboy.
And those two boys were the very best of friends. Indeed, their names were even similar: Aiden and Zayden. They had been the best of friends for as long as they could remember: from times before they could walk and talk.
One day, the two boys went on an adventure…
First, they met up with many of their good friends for a concert by Shé at John Lawson Park
They ate delectable foods from far and wide, including the fabled goldfish and the much sought after raisin. They were both smitten by the lady with the flaming hair, but decided their friendship was more important than squabbling over a maiden and so decided to be friends all around. After listening to the musicians and watching the dancers on the floor, the boys decided they wanted to retire…
Back at Aiden's house, they ate of fruits and grilled cheese,
then they played and they played until they could play no more.
After a siesta, brief for one and long for the other, they commanded for some more amusement…
At a place called Moja, beloved by both, the shared of the legendary 'peatit butter cookie'
Fueled up, the boys were ready to face their crowd of admirers with hats and sunglasses to avoid the bright camera flashes of the paparazzi…
Aiden and Zayden with bodyguard make their way to Digger Park...
where they shared many exciting adventures of castles and towers and slides.
At long last, it was time to return home. They were entertained by musical renditions of ‘Old MacDonald’ and ‘Humpty Dumpty’ as they were escorted home. Before retiring for their final meal of the day, Aiden showed Zayden of his special garden:
The boys laughed and ran and made merry in the garden of rocks
And so, after a hearty dinner, the two boys were bathed in a room filled with bubbles and retired for the night to rest up for their next adventure…
After the traffic and parking insanity of our trip to Second Beach Pool, we decided to try out New Brighton Pool, which is just a hop over the Second Narrows Bridge. Most people don’t even know it’s there.
I actually have wanted to take Aiden here for a long time, but I wasn’t sure how kid friendly it was. In fact, I spent some time beforehand trying to find pictures of it online all to no avail. Anyway, we went with a few other families and were pleased to find that there was a great shallow incline area for the kids as well as a toddler slide.
The slide is not as big or exciting as the one at Second Beach, so we had to entertain Aiden a bit more than otherwise (also, we went at 10am, and he is SO not a morning person). Just based on convenience, this would be my outdoor pool of choice!
Just a note, I hear parking can be annoying here too come afternoons. They suggest you drop people off, run out to pay and get your stamp, then park the car.
