Happy Adventuring: Quartz Park

This week we are taking a visit to what might be Lane County's newest park. Not only is it brand spanking new, but it is just so gosh darn cool. Make a list of all of the positive adjectives you would use to describe a park that you luuuuuhve. This park is all of those things! Ladies and gentlemen, without further ado, I give you...

Quartz Park
2300 S. 60th St. 
Springfield, OR 97478

So let's hear it for the Thurston Crew! Way back a million years ago when I first started teaching, I worked in Thurston, and it was a delight to be a new teacher in that community. I absolutely love Springfield. There are so many good things happening there! Also, I might be alone in this, but the smell of the mills around the 42nd Street exit on 126? I sort of love it. Also Chicken Bonz. Oh, Chicken Bonz. You have my heart.

Anywho. Quartz Park is gigantic, and I promise that you can take any kid, any age, any interest, and they will be thrilled. Here's the rundown:

The stuff we love:

• The ground is made of rubber tiles. This is awesome and the best because it means there are ZERO BARK CHIPS. 
  
• There is a sand box. Now, normally, I think sand is the worst. However, this sand is okay because guess what? There are dinosaur bones buried underneath it! The other day I was there with a little friend who was so entertained by the mere thought of dinosaur bones that he just kept pulling out sticks and rocks and leaves and calling them dinosaur neck bones and nose bones and toe bones. It was a total hoot. This sand has the potential to keep your littles occupied for at least two chapters of your book club book.
  
• The play area is totally surrounded by grass and basketball court. This makes it nearly impossible for a kiddo to slip to the parking lot unnoticed. 
  
• There are two play structures. Well, sort of. There's one small one for the littlest littles. And then there's a whole giant area for bigger kiddos - it might be several structures or maybe just one humungous one? I'm not really sure. I really like having options.
  
• At the front of the park, near the small play structure, there are some musical instrument panels that are super cool to interact with. 
  
• This is genuinely well thought out, purposefully designed play equipment. Kids really have to think about how to use it. Lots of chances for imagination and innovation. 
  
• Such a beautiful setting! You get to enjoy fields and hills and all sorts of prettiness.
  
• Speaking of hills, there are some sweet slopes for kids to chase each other up and down. 
  
• The basketball court has hoops that are adjustable! So don't forget your ball!
  
• There's a paved path that's perfect for wheeled adventures.
  
• Lots of grass
  
• Drinking fountain 
  
• It's never very crowded when we visit. As much as I love having other kids at playgrounds for my littles to interact with (because, hello, book club), sometimes it's nice to not have to wait for swings or attempt to convince your three year old that they can't monopolize the truck that some other kid brought. 
  
• Several benches and picnic tables, although they're only at one end of the park.
  
• Even though the play space is super big, it's designed in a really open way which makes it easy to see your littles even if they're way across the space. 
  

The stuff we don't love so much:

• Getting there is confusing. Whoa. 
  
• Zero shade. Bring your sun hats and your sunscreen and your sun umbrellas and your sun repellant. Ugh. 
  
• One lonely garbage can, at the far side of the park. That's just asking to find juice boxes and string cheese wrappers stashed under the slide. 
  
• The play area is set really far back from the parking lot. Yes, I realize that I listed that earlier as a good thing. However, when you're hauling your giant bag of park necessities or heaven forbid, a toddler in full melt down mode, that is a long, long walk. 
  
• No bathrooms. Well, usually there are no bathrooms. But I was there a few weeks ago and there was a port-a-potty, and I was pumped! Warning! This is maybe a summertime only bonus, because Willamalane is using this park for one of their drop in summer play spots (Check out this post for more info on that). Not really sure. But enjoy it while it lasts! 
  

The Essentials
Parking: A smallish, free lot
Cost: Free!
Food: Take your picnic, yo
Restrooms: Ummm maybe? 
Resting/Nursing Spots: Benches and picnic tables and lots of grass
Push or Wear: Hmm. If you have a giant bag, I'd say push, just so you can store all your stuff somewhere and not have to lug it plus the baby. 
Time Frame: At least an hour

Get out there to the 97478 and check it out! 
Happy Adventuring! 

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Megan Defferding is the mom to two super fun boys who love to find great stuff to do all around Lane County! Check out her blog series, Happy Adventuring, weekly on GoMomGo.