Parklane Park - SE Portland - 4.15.06 and 11.11.11

Parklane Park

Just a bike ride away from my childhood home, this playground -- before it was replaced by the current equipment -- was color-schemed in red and white stripes, earning the nickname "Candy Cane Park." No matter the weather, there always seemed to be a puddle at the bottom of the slide. This tiny, oddly-shaped park is in the middle of the suburbs and only a block or two from Harold Oliver Primary School, which has a far more interesting playground. Neither place is in the healthiest of locations, as they are situated next to a former quarry-turned-landfill, now covered. You'd never guess it used to be a landfill, though. Now it just looks like a swamp.

Location: A few blocks east of 148th Ave. and Main St.

From 2011...

Lents Park - SE Portland - 4.15.06

Lents Park

When I was a kid, Lents Park was one of the most exciting parks of all, and for one reason -- its playground boasted the tallest fireman's pole I'd ever seen. Climbing a gigantic wooden play structure to reach the top of the pole was a thrill; sliding down was yet another. 

During my 2006 visit, I saw that the old playground had been demolished and newer equipment had taken its place quite a few years before.

Location: Off SE 92nd & Holgate in Portland

The Imagination Station - Troutdale - 5.17.06

The Imagination Station

May, 2006:

Built in the mid-90's as part of a community project, the Imagination Station in Troutdale is a large play structure made mostly out of wood. With the exception of a few pieces, everything on the playground is connected. Stairs lead to towers, bridges connect the towers, and monkey bars and balance beams connect the rest. Some of the highlights of the park include a "volcano" featuring tires, a "secret" cave-like chamber, a zip line, and even a "dead end" among the maze of wooden pathways. It's the perfect place to play tag (you know, where the barkdust = forbidden lava); in fact, on my most recent visit, I witnessed Reynolds High School students flocking to the play structure when classes let out to form a game of tag. :) 

Location: Next to Reynolds High School (1698 SW Cherry Park Road; Troutdale, Oregon) 

To find out what the playground looked like in 2017 and 2019, follow these links:

The Imagination Station - 2017

The Imagination Station - 2019