Village Green Park - Happy Valley - 5.6.2023

 I'd passed this park several times and was intrigued by the colors, but there were always swarms of kids all over it. But one Saturday morning, I managed to get there early -- during what I call "playground magic hour" -- when it's light enough to get some good contrasts and shadows, but early enough that the kids are all still home in their pajamas.

Village Green Park is located next to the Happy Valley Library in Happy Valley, Oregon, just south of Portland.

Peninsula Park Revisited - N Portland - 4.30.23

 I was apprehensive about revisiting Peninsula Park. What if they'd taken out the vintage play structure with the giant blue tube within the last 14 years? I'd be very sad indeed.

But good news, y'all...

IT'S STILL THERE.

There have been a few minor changes to the playground, as far as I could tell. The rings and swinging trapeze bar seem to have disappeared.

Also, the long metal slide was replaced with this blue curly one....

The Space-Age curly slide is still there, though.

I can't believe that yellow curly slide is still hanging on!

And there are plenty of other metal slides here to burn bums on a hot day.

And though I didn't get a photo of that area this time, the splash pad IS still there... but it's fenced off/inaccessible.

So that's Peninsula Park revisited! May they never get rid of that play structure.

Index of Parks Revisited

Below is a list of playgrounds I've revisited after a significant change has taken place there.

Parklane Park

First Photographed: 4.15.06

Next Photographed: 11.11.11

Last Photographed: Spring, 2025 (all-new equipment)

Taken Over: 19 years

North Powellhurst School 

First Photographed: 2.15.10

Last Photographed: 12.31.21 (all-new equipment

Taken Over: 11.5 Years

Glenhaven Park

First Photographed: 1.16.08

Last Photographed: 4.16.23 (all-new equipment)

Taken Over: 15 Years

Harold Oliver Primary School

First Photographed: 10.26.06

Last Photographed: 11.24.12 (mostly new equipment)

Taken Over: 6 Years

Ventura Park

First Photographed: 8.20.07

Next Photographed: 8.14.09

Later Photographed: 8.2.17 and 12.27.17 (during demolition & building of new structures)

Last Photographed: 2.23.20 (all-new equipment at the Park proper; the school structures remain the same.)

Taken Over: 12.5 Years

The Imagination Station

First Photographed: 5.17.06

Next Photographed: 4.22.17 (post-fire)

Last Photographed: 7.22.19 (all-new equipment)

Taken Over: 13 Years

Couch Park

First Photographed: 11.4.07

Last Photographed: 4.9.17 (all-new equipment)

Taken Over: 9.5 Years

Peninsula Park

First Photographed: 2.3.07

Next Photographed: 7.20.09

Last Photographed: 4.30.23 (minor changes)

Taken over: 16 years

Glenhaven Park Revisited - NE Portland - 4.16.23

Back in 2008, Glenhaven Park boasted two delightfully vintage pieces of play equipment: a metal curly slide and a merry-go-round.

Sadly (okay, I might be the only person who's sad), these two features are no more. In 2019, the playground was remodeled, and now we have this in its stead:

Plus some art...

Ahoy! One holdout: a lone chin-up bar, yonder....

This wavy walkway is cool...

This might be the biggest rock wall I've seen at a Portland playground...

All in all, while I'll definitely miss that curly slide, I think this new playground has a nice aesthetic. Every time I've visited, it's been very popular. Finally, one rainy day, the kids stayed away, and I was able to get pictures.

Location: 82nd Ave. & Siskiyou St.