This wonderfully designed Villeray playground is one of the most whimsical and creative that we’ve visited during our extensive park touring. The large red garden gnomes, the painted splash pad with its picnic theme and giant spraying mushrooms, and the attention to detail throughout the space create a delightfully fun and adorable enchanted forest for children and families.
Completely renovated, Jean-Marie-Lamonde Park reopened in 2019 to the delight of residents of all ages. Children 18 months to 5 years old can clamour around the play structure stairs, bridge, stumps, and logs. Babies and toddlers have their own mini section with a scaled-down playhouse where they can ring the doorbell, peer through the windows, and touch and turn the interactive marbles and bells. In the surrounding sand are mini mushrooms stools, which could be seats or sand tables.
Older kids can test their climbing skills in the area for those 5 to 12 where there’s a tall cable climber, a stand-up spinner, a tall slide, and a rock wall. Kids can also spin themselves green in the saddle spinners, and see how high they can go in the two adult swings.
Bring along a picnic or pick something up from nearby Archicrème, Le Toasteur Villeray, or Café Perko because there are plenty of picnic tables in the centre of the park. Sip a cool iced coffee while the kids dance through the adorable splash pad, or join in yourself. Follow the painted footsteps to the gently spraying rocks or stand under the dripping mushrooms. One sensor works the whole water area and many of the sprays are gentle and engaging for even the youngest children.
The park also has community garden containers, a drinking fountain, and a colourful NBA basketball court with hoops at different heights. Bring along your hats and sunscreen as the park is in mostly full sun, with a bit of shade around the edges.
If you want to extend your playtime, travel a couple of blocks and you’ll be at another of our favourite splash pads: the lovely parc de Normanville.
Park amenities
- Splash pad (open from 9 a.m. – 9 p.m.) Touch the sensor on top of the post (beside the red gnome) to start the water sequence.
- Community container gardens.
- Picnic tables.
- Drinking fountain.
- There are no bathrooms.
Jean-Marie-Lamonde Park
7634 Chateaubriand Avenue, Villeray–Saint-Michel–Parc-Extension, H2R 2M1
To get there:
By car: The entrance to the park is on Chateaubriand Ave. You will need to find metred parking nearby.
By Metro: Take the orange line to Jean-Talon and walk a few blocks north. Bus #99 stops directly in front of the park.
Related reading:
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