Where are some good parks to take kids? (Buffalo, Amherst: elementary school, maintenance)

[Dragonchaser]

I am looking for a park that is really nice for children, preferably a kick-butt play ground. I live next to childrens hospital, so driving to say, Grand Island isn't in my best interest. I've really only been to Delaware Park (the part with the pond) so I really don't know what is out there. I know we have a bunch of nice parks in the city, but I just don't know which ones are geared for kids. Thanks folks!

[Canerican]

Well, it is not in the city, but Margera Louise park in Amherst has a really big play ground, and it's surrounded by woods. It has a big hill, and nice fields.

It is on Hopkins between Klein and Dodge.

Here's an arial image

http://maps.google.com/?ie=UTF8&ll=4...09645&t=h&z=17

[CAugust]

also in Williamsville by Millard Filmore Suburban hospital is the Maple East Elementary school playground - two playgrounds in one - the second one was just built last year ..

[twojulybabies]

Originally Posted by CAugust

also in Williamsville by Millard Filmore Suburban hospital is the Maple East Elementary school playground - two playgrounds in one - the second one was just built last year ..

Ditto, I was going to post this one too.
Also is another in West Seneca - a huge wooden "castle" playground, similar to the one at Maple East. Someone help me out.....it's off of Union Road? As if you took the 400 to Union then heading towards 5 corners. It's on the right side of the road at a school. Wendy's is on the corner where you turn off of Union.....

Oh, I've been gone too long!!!

[jazzy jeff 11]

Cazenovia Park is nice. There is a decent playground, but there are 3 baseball diamonds, 1 softball diamond, a sprinkler, a pool, 3 or 4 soccer fields, 2 tennis courts, and 2 basketball courts, plus a creek running right through it, and tons of open room.

[Coraggio]

Originally Posted by Dragonchaser

I am looking for a park that is really nice for children, preferably a kick-butt play ground. I live next to childrens hospital, so driving to say, Grand Island isn't in my best interest. I've really only been to Delaware Park (the part with the pond) so I really don't know what is out there. I know we have a bunch of nice parks in the city, but I just don't know which ones are geared for kids. Thanks folks!

Are you talking about the playground up near the Rose Garden and the lake? That's really the only playground I can think of that's near you. My daughter used to take art lessons down near Children's Hospital, and my son and I were always driving around the area wishing we could find a park to play in during that hour. Sadly, I don't know if you'll find much with a "kick-butt" playground if it's run by the city; the city parks department is low on cash and has been roundly criticized in recent years for not keeping up with general maintenance, let alone installing decent equipment.

But take a look here:

Buffalo Olmsted Parks Conservancy- park, parkways, landscape, preservation, greenways, reforestation, tree, Olmsted, Frederick Law, Frederick Law Olmsted, Delaware Park, Cazenovia Park, Front Park, Martin Luther King Park, MLK Jr, South Park, Riversi

or here, for county parks:

Erie County Department of Parks & Recreation

Hope somebody else can be of more help!

[kareny64]

I noticed that also about the West Side. There didn't seem to be any playground except the one at the church on Elmwood near Lafayette, which I"m pretty sure is also a soup kitchen. I'm moving to Kenmore & the Kenmore parks seem to have a lot of playgrounds (Lincoln Park). They also have pools where you can pay an entrance fee as a non-resident. So Kenmore isn't such a far drive.
However, some great advice for bad or good weather days....... Explore & More Children's Museum in East Aurora. It's pretty nice. You're kids can play & wherever they are you can see them. I always just go there to read a book, etc. while they play. Good for up to age 8, I'd say. Then they'd grow out of it.