Gabriel Park Playground
Overview
Expert Summary
Detailed Insights
Gabriel Park Playground is a highly recommended, unique outdoor space known for its exceptional safety features, diverse and parent-inclusive play equipment, and broad appeal to children of all ages and abilities. It stands out for allowing active parent participation, such as adult-sized teeter-totters and easy access into climbing structures.
Key Highlights
- ✓Parents can supervise the entire playground from multiple vantage points.
- ✓Strong safety enclosure with fences and walls, designed to prevent kids from running off or unauthorized access.
- ✓Parent-friendly play: parents can assist anywhere, adult-sized teeter-totter, 6ft opening for parents in climbing net, and a large slide that accommodates adults.
- ✓Diverse play equipment including a water play station, various types of swings, "caves" to play in/on, a merry-go-round, and multiple climbing areas.
- ✓Inclusive design, explicitly recommended for "kids of all ages and even kids with disabilities."
Standout Features
- ⭐Ability for parents to supervise the entire park easily from several spots.
- ⭐Strong physical enclosure including fences, walls, and an almost completely enclosed playground with controlled openings.
- ⭐Unique play equipment: adult-sized teeter-totter, water play station, "caves" to play in/on, merry-go-round, and various swings.
- ⭐Parent participation is encouraged and facilitated by design.
- ⭐On-site bathrooms (when open) and a beautiful walking path.
- ⭐Adjacent park amenities: trails, skating area, baseball field, tennis courts, and volleyball courts.
Perfect For
Ideal For
💡Pro Tips from Reviews
- →Before visiting, it's advisable to check the current status of the bathrooms, as they have been reported as closed.
- →Exercise extreme caution with the metal slide, especially during warmer weather, as it can reach temperatures that cause burns. Consider bringing a towel or blanket to sit on.
Things to Consider
- ⚠The metal slide can become extremely cold in winter and dangerously hot in summer; one report noted a child getting severely burned in summer.
- ⚠No warning signs are present regarding the slide's temperature extremes.
- ⚠Bathrooms were reported as not open during one parent's visit.
Price & Value
Implied to be a free public park, as no fees are mentioned in any reviews.
♿Accessibility & Special Needs
- •Explicitly recommended for "kids with disabilities."
- •Features like easy parent access to climbing structures might also assist children with certain mobility needs or close supervision.
🍎Food & Drink Policy
- •Not mentioned in reviews.
🚗Parking Info
- •Not explicitly detailed, but implied to be accessible with a "gate opening up near the street" and being "right across the street" from residences. No specific parking type or capacity mentioned.
👥Crowd Levels
- •Not mentioned in reviews.
🛡️Safety Features
- •Parents can see the "entire park from several places."
- •"Fences and walls around that would make it hard for someone to just grab a kid, or for kids to run off."
- •Playground is "almost completely enclosed" with two specific openings (one small near the swings, one larger near the picnic tables) and a gate opening near the street.
- •A 6ft tall opening in the climbing net allows easy parent access for assistance if needed.
⏰When to Avoid
- • Summertime use of the metal slide without first checking its temperature, due to significant burn risk.
- • Relying solely on on-site bathrooms without checking availability in advance, especially for longer visits.
Pricing/Package/Events
Events & Schedule
Special Events(Last 2 months - Next 6 months)
Inclusive Playground Closure Update
Extended through October 3
N/A
The inclusive playground at Gabriel Park remains closed while crews replace safety-surfacing tiles. Due to contractor scheduling and tile deliveries, the closure is extended through October 3.
🛡️Safety Policy
- • Inclusive playground is currently closed for replacement of safety-surfacing tiles.
- • A Basic Earthquake Emergency Communication Node (BEECN) is located in the park to provide emergency assistance if phone service is down, or to report severe damage/injury after a major earthquake.
- • Trail project goals include improving user experience and safety within the natural area.
📅Booking Policy
- • Reservations for sports fields or picnic areas are available through the customer service center.
- • To reserve a sports field or picnic area, call 503-823-2525.
🚗Parking Information
- • Parking lot available.
- • Parking lot off SW Canby closed at 10:00pm.
- • 2 designated accessible parking spaces.
What People Say
What's Great
- Safe environment for children (mentioned in 2 reviews)
- Spacious play areas (mentioned in 6 reviews)
Areas for Improvement
- Parking can be challenging (mentioned in 4 reviews)
Recent Reviews
farfanoogens
2 months agoWhat a beautiful park! From a safety perspective, I was able to stand in one spot and see the entire park from several places. The park has fences and walls around that would make it hard for someone to just grab a kid, or for kids to run off. For playing, this was such a unique park. I loved that parents could assist and go anywhere. The teeter totter had adult sized seats. There was a net where kids could climb around, but there was also a 6ft tall opening so a parent could very easily get in the middle if needed. The slide was also big enough for me to go down without having to lie down or squeeze and do weird contortions. We loved it!
CeCe Raglin
a week agoWhen visiting my grandparents every year for the summer . Gabriel Park is right across the street for my enjoyment and beauty 😉
Serenna Lamb
11 months agoGabriel Playground is amazing! Theres a little water play station, lots of different types of swings, some “caves” to play in/on, there’s a merry go round, there are a couple climbing areas and one slide. There’s a little bit for everyone. They also have bathrooms and a beautiful walking path. The playground is almost completely enclosed. With 2 openings, one small one near the swings and a larger one near the picnic tables. Theres also a gate opening up near the street.
YeS
2 years agoSuch a great park! It has everything you need, from trails, skating area, baseball field, tennis courts, volleyball courts, ending the list with perfect playground! I suggest everyone with a child, to go and at least once enjoy the best in town playground (in my opinion).
Rachel Henry
2 years agoMy son loved it here I would highly recommend it to anybody with kids of all ages and even kids with disabilities even stuff for parents the only downfalls were the bathrooms were not open and the slide being metal was so very cold makes sense it's cold outside but I can't even imagine what it would be like in the summertime another parent at the park said when it first opened last summer her niece got burned really bad on it. I was surprised there's not a sign or anything up warning kids and parents about the slide being so hot that it would burn you in the summertime other than that absolutely awesome Park!!
Contact Information
SW 45th Avenue and, SW Vermont St, Portland, OR 97219, USA
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