Children’s Village Forever

This playground was an annual end of the school year field trip starting in grade 1.

It had a diverse range of activities and catered to children of different ages, abilities and confidence.

The playground had staff (so it wasn’t complete chaos at the most popular spots) but they definitely had a laissez-faire attitude and let the kids do pretty much anything.

Our teachers would ‘supervise’ but it was so large without clear sight lines that I can remember them staying mostly by the front entrance to prevent us from leaving and helping us find our shoes as we were leaving.

Minor injuries were expected (there was a first aid tent). I definitely fell down, scraped my knees and got soaking wet. Over the years, my classmates had some more serious injuries (including a broken arm, lost tooth and stitches). Despite the injuries my school still let us go back the following year...

Getting a place like this built again would be impossible given liability.

Also, schools are allergic to anything involving minor injuries, water and places where all kids can’t be seen.

From the article, "Instead of an amusement park in which kids line up for hours to sit passively on a moving piece of Intellectual Property, what if a park just provided the raw materials for child-instigated, slightly dangerous adventure?"

In today's age of liability for designed spaces, you can see why activities like skateboarding and parkour flourish in city streets.

I worked at Ontario Place at the tail end of its previous form. By that time, the tent of Children's Village was still up but was relegated to off-season storage and an overflow space for theme days. During prep work before the park opened, I remember the bizarre juxtaposition of the orange glow of the tent above and empty desolate paved area below.

During one of the busiest days, I stayed for overtime and helped sweep in that area under the tent. There was a huge crush of people. It was also the first time when I consciously realized the feeling of despair about my sweeping efforts.

Some Ontario Place lore I've been sitting on. When I was there, Ontario Place hosted the Chinese Lantern festival. One of the Pods was relegated to provide housing for lantern makers. It was divided with metal framing and drywall into small rooms with bunkbeds. The mercury arc lamps hung high up in the ceiling above. I always wanted to ask the workers what they though of it.

I also took advantage of free admission to go on the log flume over and over and over again on my lunch break at off-peak times.

It was probably one of the worst and best summer jobs I've ever had.

One of my favorite activities here was floating down the lazy river with my mask on, scanning the bottom for loonies and toonies ($1 and $2 coins).

In one spectacular end of school field trip I netted $25-30. That was a lot of money for a 12 year old in the late 80s, and helped me buy my first computer.

A similar, but according to pictures somewhat smaller, experience is available in St. Louis at the City Museum.

When you're a grownup it is fun.

When you're a kid it is awe-inspiring.

https://i.imgur.com/wvzYQxH.jpg

https://i.imgur.com/DMAqdF1.jpg

That place was a lot of fun. I remember that pyramid. King of the Castle was the game pretty much always played on that thing. Kids would literally through each other off of the top and try and trap each other between the hanging pillars.

I can't imagine it would go very far these days. They'd just get sued. Insurance would be insane if at all possible.