That's a wrap!

We did it! And with two days to spare. I'm a little (very) tardy in reporting this news but we DID achieve our goal of visiting all of the parks before August 31. Yay, us! Paul was able to finish work early on the last Friday of the month and the four of us headed to Woody Park to complete the challenge!

The playground equipment was a huge plus; I was under the impression (nice job updating the website, Parks & Rec...) there was only a baseball diamond so we brought a kite and bubbles. The wind made both of these ideas a huge fail so we were happy to stumble upon a slide and arched ladder.

We had celebratory ice cream on the way home and I secretly vowed to not to visit another park for at least a week. We made it six whole days until we revisited one of the parks, but it was one we had never been to prior to this park challenge so I will consider that another bonus from this fun summer adventure. I need to start brainstorming ideas for a summer 2015 challenge, if you have any ideas let me know!

COMMUNITY PARKS

Broken Arrow Park	Burcham Park
Centennial Park	Clinton Lake Park
Holcom Park	"Dad" Perry Park
Prairie Park	Riverfront Park
South Park	Buford M. Watson, Jr. Park

NEIGHBORHOOD PARKS

Chief Jim McSwain Park	Brook Creek Park
Burroughs Creek Trail & Linear Park	Clinton Lake Leased Area
Chaparral Park	Clinton Park
Constant Park	Deerfield Park
DeVictor Park	Edgewood Park
HAND Park	Hobbs Park
Ludlam Park	Lyons Park
Parnell Park	Park Hills Parks
Quail Run Park	Robinson Park
Stonegate Park	John Taylor Park
Veterans Park	Walnut Park
Water Tower Park	Woody Park

HAND Park

In the car on the way to HAND Park, I told Lucy we were going to a park by the name of HAND Park, and I did a little jazz hand at her for flair. She smiled and said, "Mom, you know what would be so silly? If we called it toe park instead!" So off we went to toe park.
 

  
COMMUNITY PARKS

Broken Arrow Park	Burcham Park
Centennial Park	Clinton Lake Park
Holcom Park	"Dad" Perry Park
Prairie Park	Riverfront Park
South Park	Buford M. Watson, Jr. Park

NEIGHBORHOOD PARKS

Chief Jim McSwain Park	Brook Creek Park
Burroughs Creek Trail & Linear Park	Clinton Lake Leased Area
Chaparral Park	Clinton Park
Constant Park	Deerfield Park
DeVictor Park	Edgewood Park
HAND Park	Hobbs Park
Ludlam Park	Lyons Park
Parnell Park	Park Hills Parks
Quail Run Park	Robinson Park
Stonegate Park	John Taylor Park
Veterans Park	Walnut Park
Water Tower Park	Woody Park

Parnell Park and Edgewood Park

Folks, we are getting close to reaching our goal! And it is exciting! It really is, actually. On our way home from the parks we went to yesterday we passed a park that we frequent in our "normal" park-going life and Lucy asked if we could go there. I told her I promised that as soon as we finished this park challenge she could pick whatever park she wanted and we would go. It's time to go to the park - any park! - because we want to, not because we must. But, this has been great fun this summer and I think if I didn't force the sign picture on them (what kind of mother would I be if I didn't?!) it wouldn't be an issue at all. Lucy DID stage a sit down (in her carseat) at Edgewood Park and refused to get out  of the car if I made her take a picture by the sign. It's amazing what fruit snacks will do...

PARNELL PARK
I was - and still am - confused. When we got there, at least where I thought the park was, there was no playground equipment. I found the picnic tables, the park benches and the basketball court they said would be there, but no playground equipment. We even walked along Burroughs Creek Trail which I thought might lead us to some slides and swings, but to no avail. So we found a cool striped feather and played on the bridge for a while and we will call that good. If someone figures out where there is playground equipment let me know and we will be there. Maybe.

 

 EDGEWOOD PARK

 

 

There's a beautiful wooded area between the playground at the East Lawrence Center and the playground we went to further to the south. And there's Lucy dragging a stick...at least she wasn't swinging it at her sister. Win!

COMMUNITY PARKS

Broken Arrow Park	Burcham Park
Centennial Park	Clinton Lake Park
Holcom Park	"Dad" Perry Park
Prairie Park	Riverfront Park
South Park	Buford M. Watson, Jr. Park

NEIGHBORHOOD PARKS

Chief Jim McSwain Park	Brook Creek Park
Burroughs Creek Trail & Linear Park	Clinton Lake Leased Area
Chaparral Park	Clinton Park
Constant Park	Deerfield Park
DeVictor Park	Edgewood Park
HAND Park	Hobbs Park
Ludlam Park	Lyons Park
Parnell Park	Park Hills Parks
Quail Run Park	Robinson Park
Stonegate Park	John Taylor Park
Veterans Park	Walnut Park
Water Tower Park	Woody Park

Clinton Lake Park and Clinton Lake Leased Area

CLINTON LAKE LEASED AREA
This is a 1,500-acre area that is part of a Master Plan for Lawrence situated east of the Clinton Lake dam; it encompasses lots of different areas but we chose to visit the dog park, technically known as the "Mutt Run."

 
CLINTON LAKE PARK

 

 
 COMMUNITY PARKS

Broken Arrow Park	Burcham Park
Centennial Park	Clinton Lake Park
Holcom Park	"Dad" Perry Park
Prairie Park	Riverfront Park
South Park	Buford M. Watson, Jr. Park

NEIGHBORHOOD PARKS

Chief Jim McSwain Park	Brook Creek Park
Burroughs Creek Trail & Linear Park	Clinton Lake Leased Area
Chaparral Park	Clinton Park
Constant Park	Deerfield Park
DeVictor Park	Edgewood Park
HAND Park	Hobbs Park
Ludlam Park	Lyons Park
Parnell Park	Park Hills Parks
Quail Run Park	Robinson Park
Stonegate Park	John Taylor Park
Veterans Park	Walnut Park
Water Tower Park	Woody Park