Playground at Clarks Community Park
Overview
Expert Summary
Detailed Insights
Playground at Clarks Community Park is a relatively new, aesthetically pleasing outdoor venue featuring a splash pad, large climbing structures, multiple swings, and recreational courts (tennis, pickleball). It is noted for its well-maintained grounds and clean restroom facilities, making it suitable for families with children generally aged 2-10 and adults seeking active leisure. However, it presents significant design and safety concerns for babies and toddlers, including dangerously hot metal slides in summer, a complete absence of baby swings, and a notable lack of shade.
Key Highlights
- ✓Aesthetically pleasing and generally well-kept play area and grounds.
- ✓Features a nice-sized splash pad, open in summer, with seating available (though unshaded).
- ✓Clean and extremely well-maintained restroom facilities, centrally located in the park.
- ✓Includes a large climbing apparatus, multiple standard swings, and slides (but beware of metal slides in heat).
- ✓Offers adult recreational options like tennis courts, pickleball courts, and an adjacent dog park.
- ✓Provides plenty of open space for children to play.
Standout Features
- ⭐Nice-sized splash pad with seating.
- ⭐Clean and extremely well-maintained restroom facilities.
- ⭐Large climbing apparatus.
- ⭐Multiple standard swings (not baby swings).
- ⭐Dedicated pickleball courts and tennis courts.
- ⭐Adjacent dog park for pet owners.
- ⭐Overall beautiful and well-kept grounds and modern aesthetic.
Perfect For
Ideal For
💡Pro Tips from Reviews
- →**Avoid on Hot Days:** Do NOT visit on hot summer days (especially 100°F or above) due to the severe burn risk from exposed metal slides and lack of shade.
- →**Bring Your Own Shade:** Be prepared for minimal natural shade in play areas; consider bringing portable shade solutions (e.g., umbrellas, pop-up tents) if planning an extended stay.
- →**Not for Infants/Toddlers:** If your children are under 1-2 years old and require baby swings or extensive shade, this park will not meet their needs. Consider alternatives.
- →**Bring Sporting Equipment:** If older children or adults intend to play, bring your own pickleball or tennis racquets and balls.
- →**Inspect Smaller Equipment:** Be aware that some smaller wooden and metal playground items (seesaws, rocking horses) may be broken or in poor condition.
Things to Consider
- ⚠**Extreme Heat Hazard:** Metal slides become dangerously hot (100°F+ in summer in North Carolina), posing a severe burn risk, particularly for young toddlers; they are explicitly deemed 'not young toddler safe'.
- ⚠**Lack of Baby Swings:** There is not one baby swing, making the playground unsuitable for infants and very young toddlers (under 1-2 years old).
- ⚠**Inadequate Shade:** Both the main playground area and the splash pad severely lack shade; shade is only available if a table can be 'snatched'.
- ⚠**Broken/Cheap Equipment:** Smaller items like seesaws and rocking horses are described as cheap wood and metal, and are reported as broken.
- ⚠**Limited Activities for Youngest Kids:** Despite open space, some parents feel there is 'literally almost nothing to do for kids', especially for very young children beyond the stated age range.
Price & Value
No entry fees or specific pricing are mentioned, indicating it operates as a free community park. It offers good value for general playground use, splash pad access, and recreational courts. However, its significant limitations for babies/toddlers and safety concerns during extreme heat diminish its overall value proposition for all family types, particularly those with very young children.
♿Accessibility & Special Needs
- •No specific accommodations for special needs or accessibility features were mentioned in the reviews. It appears to be a standard community park layout.
🍎Food & Drink Policy
- •Food and drink policies are not explicitly mentioned in the reviews. As a public community park, it is generally assumed that outside food and beverages are allowed, but no explicit confirmation is available.
🚗Parking Info
- •The parking situation is not explicitly detailed in the reviews. As a community park, it likely offers free, on-site or nearby parking, and no specific parking difficulties or costs were reported.
👥Crowd Levels
- •Not specifically detailed in reviews, but Review 2 implies it is frequently used by the local community, with many parents sharing similar complaints. No specific peak times or typical crowd levels were noted.
🛡️Safety Features
- •**Major Concerns:** Metal slides getting dangerously hot in summer, posing a direct burn hazard. Some smaller playground equipment reported as broken.
- •**General Positives:** Described as a 'well kept play area' and 'extremely well maintained grounds', suggesting good general upkeep and maintenance standards.
⏰When to Avoid
- • **During Hot Summer Weather (100°F+):** The park poses a significant burn hazard from metal slides and offers insufficient shade for protection.
- • **If you have babies or very young toddlers (under 1-2 years old):** The complete absence of baby swings and unsafe hot slides make it inappropriate for this age group.
- • If extensive shade and protection from the sun are critical requirements for your family's outdoor play.
What People Say
What's Great
- Clean and well-maintained facilities (mentioned in 2 reviews)
- Spacious play areas (mentioned in 7 reviews)
Areas for Improvement
- Parking can be challenging (mentioned in 3 reviews)
Recent Reviews
Tabitha Bush
4 years agoPerfect for younger children (I'd say under 10). I loved the esthetic and the open play. Next time we will find pickleball supplies and bring those for the older kids!
Danielle
2 years agoSorry but whoever designed this is not a smart person at all...this is the dumbest thing I've seen for little kids. It may look nice but this is North Carolina, what would posses you to put metal slides when it's 100° all summer (which are not young toddler safe at all)?!?!!!!?! Wow..then, not ONE baby swing. Are you joking me? Every time we've gone every parent or family that is there complains about it as well. I mean...um hello, there's a huge community connected to the park, people have babies under 1 or two, wow. There's hardly any shade unless you can snatch a table. The splash pad area is nice but not one little section is shaded off. ...it's just not well thought out at ALL. The little seesaw and rocking horses are cheap wood and with metal (again), and broken. Alot of open space which is fine but there's literally almost nothing to do for kids. It could've been SUCH an amazing playground if anyone who's ever met a kid designed it.
E A
3 years agoReally cool place. Adults play on the tennis court and kids have plenty of room at the playground plus summer time the water parks open. Clean bathrooms are in the middle of the park. So you can plan to have a great time here for the whole family!
ravikant mishra
2 years agoBeautiful and well kept play area I went with my 2 and 5 year old. They have a nice sized splash pad with seating and clean bathrooms as well. We all had a great time.
Samuel Short
4 years agoGreat new park with a splash pad, large climbing apparatus, multiple swings, slides, a dog park, and pickle ball courts. Extremely well maintained restroom facilities and grounds in general.
Contact Information
5435 Hucks Rd, Charlotte, NC 28269, USA
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