Verdun? Well, sort of… Head off the island to the lovely Île-des-Sœurs, where you’ll find the great revamped Dan-Hanganu Park. The design pays tribute to architect Dan Hanganu, (who designed our favourite Montreal museum, the Pointe-à-Callière Museum of archaeology and history in Old Montreal. With mature trees, plenty of shady spots, and even a dedicated BBQ area, this is a great “field trip” playground. Pair it with a walk on the island’s walking and biking trails, with stops at some other playgrounds along the way!
The renovated play area boasts a mini forest adventure zone that (woohoo) has places that even older kids will like. There’s a super tall wooden climbing platforms, rope bridges, and an impressive (terrifying) tube slide that my big kids LOVED.
The playground is divided into age-appropriate zones that are right next to each other, making it easy to bring kids of varying ages. The dual sided wooden climber has easy to scale steps for little ones, a tic-tac-toe wall, steering wheel, and a mini slide. And older kids can climb the very, very tall ladders and rungs to reach the bridge and huge tube slide. I was intimidated, my 12 and 17 year old boys were not! It’s fast and exciting. (Note that my 6’1″ 17 year old hit his head on the roof. They don’t stay small forever!)
Both kids did their StrollerParking inspection (they’re well trained) and noted that the lack of a dedicated handhold at the top of the fireman pole was of concern. (Because they tend to climb UP rather than slide down.)
In the surround wood chips (no sand here), is a cute little play house, a saucer swing, an interactive panel with buttons to press to hear about animals, adult and baby swings, and a parent/child swing. A brilliant feature: the exerciser thingy right beside the climbing structure.
Off in the surrounding trees are little “rooms” that have an outdoor gym area, a ping pong table, a tiny tree climber, eco-friendly features like a rain garden, gardens with native plants, and spots to sit and relax. There are also picnic tables and a whole area for BBQing.
It’s a real blend of natural beauty and urban design.
Things to Note
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While most of the park is shaded, the upper levels of the big-kid climber get hot and sunny — bring hats and sunscreen!
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There’s a lot of new landscaping, so be mindful of fragile plant areas still taking root. Don’t let your kids wander past the rope barriers.
- The community pool and tennis/pickleball courts are adjacent. Check the city’s website for details.
CITY WEBSITE - There is free parking in front of the community centre at 260, rue Elgar.
- Right beside the park is a depanneur and a little restaurant that looks to be open in the evenings. Cute!
- Check Google Maps for a spot to park, and then stroll along the island’s riverfront paths. SO, SO NICE. We have also visited other playgrounds on the island (some with splash pads) so have a look at those here.
260 Rue Elgar, Verdun, QC H3E 1E7, Canada
