Ablon Park — Attraction in Garland

The reason I gave it 3 stars was because I had some issues:

1. the water fountains were not working
2. their bathrooms were 2 porta potties
3. the nice playground had certain parts of that were too hot to the touch, so kids couldn't play on it. Definitely would recommend shoes & close supervision
4. litter in the grassy/dirt areas near the pavilion & sidewalks (I found glass & bottle tops especially. Would not recommend going barefoot; watch those kiddos).

This park is located in a neighborhood. My daughter rented the pavilion for her sons' bday, which was around 4th of July. The pavilion was huge! It had a water spigot, electricity, lights, lots of tables & bench style seating, as well as 1 or 2 grills, & multiple trash cans. There was quite a bit of leftover tape, trash, & decor leftover from several previous events (some really old). I'd recommend a deposit fee. The fee can be refunded after the party, if everything is the way it was found (or better), and not refunded, the place is a mess; in order to pay someone else for their time in the cleanup. Let's keep our parks & pavilions clean & safe for everyone to enjoy. There was lots of shade, trees, grass, and a pond nearby that you could walk around. Overall, the issues can...

Ablon Park has been a great pit stop for me and my fellow bike-riding companion. We stop there at the halfway point of an eight-mile trek. Shady areas with perfectly spaced picnic tables have grills and inconspicuous trash cans nearby. The well-maintained sidewalk path around the pond is wide enough for my three-wheeler and a walker or jogger to pass. It is often that we see blue herons resting there. Picturesque, well-maintained green belts and pet-friendly. Fishing must be good because we have passed by them near the spillway and dock. The park also has a multi-feature jungle gym for kids. Parents really enjoy that area as much as their children do. The expansive pavilion has enough tables to accommodate several picnickers at the same time, again affording privacy for all. There’s a clean, well-equipped port-a-potty too, with plenty of tp and hand sanitizer. The city and the patrons show pride in this safe refuge. One of Garland’s quiet, well-kept secrets where you rarely meet a stranger, and if you do, the diverse passerbys are friendly people. A must-go. You won’t be...

One play area, metal and plastic with wood chips on the ground, located adjacent to a pagoda and a few feet further than that is a small pond with fish, turtles, and a small observation deck overlooking the pond. Pagoda was recently painted it seems and also seems as though it was be a good place for a little family birthday party. Short path around pond and back to play area, seems to go further but we didn't take that route as that was beyond the park. Decent parking area with additional parking along the street. Good place for a picnic or for some lounging in the grass. Large puddles formed after the rain creating a bit of mud between pagoda and deck so be advised if considering going and it's...