Nestled into the grounds of historic Fort Totten is a small but mighty playground! This place is named for a dedicated public servant and member of our Fire Department Martin "Woody" Mchale who left us all too soon in 2012. The playground boasts 2 modern play apparatuses One for the older kids and another for the little tikes. These leave no room for boredom as they have challenging activities, and 3 large twisting slides (plastic, not metal) on the larger jungle gym. The monkey bars are fit to be used by any service member, the kids felt so accomplished once they mastered them! There is a high point where there are binoculars to view the nearby Bay and areas where the kids can sit and chill out together. The smaller jungle gym will keep the littles occupied for hours. Your aspiring musicians will enjoy the area that is dedicated to a sensory experience of sound and texture. This playground does not have any water features or sprinklers.
To get to the park you will have to take a bit of a walk from the Fort Totten parking lot. Bring your stroller to navigate the hills! Once you get there, you'll have plenty of shaded seating area while you watch your kiddos tire themselves out. And, really that's what we're all here for, right? You can also explore the rest of Fort Totten, with its green paths, historical buildings and open fields for play. It is an active base that also houses NYC training facilities so there's lots to see and learn here. Fort Totten is also home to the Queens Public Pool so you can cool off after getting all sweaty at the playground! Currently, there is some construction in the area so there will be some noise to contend with, but nothing that will sully your experience. The playground received a 4.5 out of 5 stars from my discerning critics.
We chose to kick off our series at this playground because - besides being little known in the area - it is dedicated to a person who meant a lot to our family and I can't imagine a more deserving recipient of this kind of honor.
The next playground in our series will be Raymond O'Connor Park in Bayside. Stay tuned!
