Prospect Park's Third Street Playground gets a landscaping timeout.

Fantastic January day to spend in Prospect Park with a toddler. The Little Master and I spent a good thirty minutes watching the workers shred Christmas trees into little chips before heading over to 9th Street's Harmony playground. And I must say that the Park has never smelled better. Pine mulch mounds be everywhere.

P.P.P.S.A.
As a public service announcement I thought I would update all my adult readers who find themselves alone with small children on a regular basis that the 3rd Street Playground is not yet finished. It looks pretty close to being done.

Gone is that antiquated, concrete aqueduct-like water feature. It has been replaced by a giant red sprinkler coil. The main reason for this new landscaping renovation was to correct its terrible drainage problems. All of the run-off water that bypassed the old fountains sewer drains would instead somehow travel its way down hill, under the rubber safety matting, and end up in this big, black, stagnant puddle in the tree pit near the sandbox. This shallow septic pool will certainly be missed by those addicted to nasty splash, but I'm not alone in saying good riddance.


















The sandbox looks like it will be staying put. Seems odd that after all these years just as I have finally built up my natural tolerance to ringworm they decide to go ahead and change the "sand".


































They have removed all the old hard rubber matting and are replacing it with these thick, black tiles made up of shredded and recycled kittens. This is the same surface they have at the Harmony Playground. Did I just say kittens? I must still be thinking about that Christmas tree shredding accident earlier in the day. I meant to say automobile tires.


















This is the other new fountain installed just to the side of the sandbox. I'm almost sure there used to be a large tree in this spot. Must have removed it. For you tree huggers, this play ground has some mighty large Bald Cyprus Trees surrounding it. They have, if I might add on a personal note, great trunks. On hot sunny days everyone l o v e s the shade tree.


















Here's the monster child washer still wrapped in plastic for its own protection.

Finally for the stroller set, you will be glad to know they have also repaved the asphalt walkway leading up to the playground from the Third St. and Prospect Park West entrance. The one next to the Litchfield Villa. The one that always stays flooded after a rain storm. Now that it's fixed we could use some additional benches along this path, please. The current system where bench positions are determined through games of chance does not work. I know some of the nannies are using loaded dice.