Worth a trip! This neighborhood playground has a few fun structures that will entertain both younger and older kids. The backdrop of One World Trade Center and the Battery Park City location makes it an extra-special spot in Lower Manhattan.
There are three main play zones of the long, narrow playground. Near the entrance is a large sandpit with lots of open space for digging (though only a little bit of shade). In the middle of the sand is a small, mid-height play structure with a few platforms and a slide for little kids. There is also a vertical net attached to this structure that makes it a destination for the Kindergarten crowd. Around the perimeter of the sandpit are curious mounds, bumps, and toadstools to jump and balance on, which makes for a challenging game of chase. (Caution: these can get slippery with sand.) A couple of rarely-spotted spring riders (remember hurling back and forth on a spring-loaded horse?) are a surprise.
The two big structures for older kids may be familiar to Lower West Side families: a nearly identical spider net and a structure with multiple vertical ropes and swinging monkey bars can also be found a mile up the road at Pier 25. However, these are fun challenges that older kids won’t easily get bored of. Note that the black-and-red spider net here is slightly smaller and lower than the one up the road. There is a separate large, round, rotating disc, on which several kids can sprawl and twirl at once - we haven’t seen this one anywhere else downtown.
The summer-time water sprays - shooting up and spraying down – are integrated into the play space near the sandpit. A kid-sized basketball half-court - with a net that may be low enough for lay-ups - is also within the playground fences. And a small turf field provides another option for running around.
Wherever you are in this playground, as you keep one eye on your kid, look north and to the sky to marvel at one of the world’s most iconic buildings!
Visibility/Safety? The long and narrow playground has fairly unobstructed views for keeping track of kids in different areas, though it’s a far distance from the sandpit to the big-kid structures. The playground fence (which is a lower height than what we typically see) has two exits: the main exit is always latched closed, but we have found the less-visible north gate near the basketball hoop to be unlatched. The ground is soft and springy; though, the mounds, bumps, and toadstools near the sandpit are concrete. Overall, this playground is well-maintained.
Bathroom Emergency? There is a public bathroom nearby at 200 Rector Place, operated by the Battery Park City Authority. The Battery Place Market, (about a three-minute walk away) has a customer bathroom with what can be a make-shift changing table.
Snack Time/Coffee Break? This playground has benches, but there is limited shade, and no tables to set up snacks, although between the basketball court and turf field there are a few picnic tables in the shad that are a go-to birthday party spot. The closest options to buy snacks are good ones. Inatteso Cafe has a coffee bar and fresh-baked take-away - from croissants and breakfast sandwiches to panini and pizza, to cupcakes and crepes (note: no bathroom). The Battery Place Market is a small gourmet grocery store, which includes a wide variety of snacks, as well as made-to-order sandwiches (and the aforementioned bathroom). A few blocks away is the super kid-friendly Treadwell Park restaurant, with burgers, tacos, pinball machines, and board games to borrow.
Features: Slide, monkey bars, special climbing features, sandpit, water sprays, benches, nearby coffee & snacks.
What’s More? This plastic and steel playground debuted in 2010 as part of the reconstruction of Route 9A (West Street). In a nod to its previous incarnation - known as “Tire Swing Park” - there is a large wooden frame where a new tire swing had been installed. However, after injuries occurred soon after the playground’s reopening, the swing was taken down and only the frame remains. West Thames Park also includes a turf soccer field, a community garden, and a dog run. It is one of three playgrounds maintained by Battery Parks City Parks Authority, which offers free drop-in programming for families throughout the year.
Gianna Abruzzo is a Brooklyn-born adventurer with nearly ten years of experience exploring playgrounds – in Lower Manhattan, around NYC, and in eleven more countries – with her three daughters. Gianna seeks to share a sense of community and pride in the places we play. Follow her on Instagram
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