Harbor Drive Wellness Park — Attraction in Lake Ridge

A Missed Opportunity for Families: Concerns About the Wellness Playground

As a parent and resident of the Lake Ridge community, I feel deeply disappointed by the recently constructed "Wellness Playground." While the concept might have seemed innovative on paper, the execution has unfortunately left much to be desired.

Safety Issues for Children: Many features of the playground, such as the climbing structures and swinging dish, pose significant safety risks. The swinging dish’s ropes are not only uncomfortable but also potentially hazardous for younger children. A family playground should prioritize safety and ensure that kids can play freely without constant worry of injury.

Lack of Fun and Engagement: This playground falls short of being enjoyable for children. Despite its initial appearance of fun, many elements are impractical or uninteresting for toddlers and younger kids. A traditional playground with swings, slides, and more universally loved features would have been far more engaging and inclusive for families.

Poor Planning and Accessibility: This park serves as the only accessible playground within walking distance for families in the Harbor neighborhoods and much of eastern Lake Ridge. It’s disappointing that a project meant to benefit a large portion of the community fails to cater to the needs of families with children. The inclusion of adult exercise equipment further compounds this issue, as it’s unrealistic to expect parents to use it while monitoring their children from a distance.

Additionally, this $1.5 million project included a $200,000 direct private investment from Kaiser Permanente. While their contribution was intended to support and benefit the community, it is disheartening to see such a generous and thoughtful investment be directed toward a project that misses the mark for families. To add to the irony, the one-mile trail conveniently connects directly to the Kaiser Medical Center—so when children inevitably get injured on the unsafe equipment, at least it’s a quick trip to seek medical attention. Imagine the impact if this funding had been used to create a traditional playground designed with health, safety, accessibility, and universal enjoyment in mind. By aligning such investments with the true needs of the community, we could foster spaces that genuinely enrich the lives of residents. Unfortunately, this playground does not achieve that, leaving families feeling overlooked and resources squandered.

This playground represents a significant investment of taxpayer dollars and external funding, yet it feels like a wasteful use of resources. A well-designed traditional playground would have been a far better choice, creating a space where families feel welcome, safe, and truly supported.

I urge the County to take this feedback seriously and consider making necessary adjustments to improve the playground’s safety, functionality, and overall appeal. Our community...

Terrific area for kids and adults too. It's small area for playing but it's safe and good to be your kids around your eys and you can practice sports and move around and play with them. There's parking in front of the play ground and some athletic games. I loved that area and colorful of it and close to Lidl you can pass before or...

Great park woth some shade provided by the giant flower structures. Circular track around a grass field is good for kids to run or ride bikes. Water fountains and a bike air/repair station is a nice feature. Adult workout areas are a cool feature but a bit of a gimmick as they dont function well enough to...