Address: Benteen Ave at Casanova St. SE
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The request%2C-8> Click here to get directions - approximate; see below for where to park
Parking: small parking lot on Casanova St. (behind the elementary school)
Cost: free
Age Range: toddler and up
Ground Cover: wood mulch
Features: simple play structure with a curvey slide, two racing slides, half rainbow climber, some steps, and a climbing pole. 4 big kid swings.
Surrounding Park Area: this playground is basically behind the elementary school (although it is not attached, so you can use it anytime of the day). The park boasts some open greenspace and a soccer field. No bathrooms, no water fountain.
Shade: none
Seating: one bench
Stroller/Wheelchair Access: yes
Safety: While I don’t see any particular safety concerns, I did notice that there are pads underneath the swings (which is awesome!). Maybe the playground could use a little more mulch.
Cons: No bathrooms. No water fountain. No baby swings. The whole playground looks a little run down.
Overall Assessment: While I am all for playgrounds that aren’t surrounded by heavy traffic and busy streets, this playground gives me the feel of being hidden (and I don’t say that in the most positive way). Benteen Park can only be accessed by one street; cars can only enter from Casanova. I didn’t see anybody while I was there, but school was not in session, so perhaps that lends to the vacant sense I felt while there. I guess what I’m saying is that if there were other people there, I might check them out before I got out of my car, because if something were to happen and somebody were to approach me, I would be trapped, and that wouldn’t be good. Just something to note is that the Atlanta State Penitentiary is right here in this neighborhood.
The playground itself is run down. There is an empty area that perhaps held another piece of equipment years ago (my guess is that it was a climbing dome), but now it’s nothing. There is nothing special about this structure. I’m not going to come back.
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