Hundreds came out to test drive the new playground at Mountain Lake Park on Thursday night

Despite the wet weather on Thursday, hundreds came out to the grand re-opening of Mountain Lake Park Playground. The new structures were teeming with excited kids and free cookies from Angelina’s Cafe kept everyone fueled for their playground adventures.

The new playground features two play areas – one for older kids age 5 to 12 years, and another for younger kids age 2-5.

For the older kids, there are big climbing structures featuring rope and wood along with swings, bouncy platforms, and the favorite concrete slide which was preserved from the previous playground and now includes an intermediate climbing wall as a means of scaling the hill back up to the top.

In the playground for little tykes there are see-saws, swings, an interactive wall, a pint-sized climbing wall, slides, and small structures to ride on. The toddler area is virtually walled in, making it nice for parents who don’t have to worry that their little one will run off to another part of the park.

Kids couldn’t resist the concrete slide, a beloved leftover from the original playground

In between the two play areas is a decked area with seating for adults and plenty of room for stroller parking. There is another terraced seating area alongside the slide hill that overlooks the lake and is sure to be a favorite for picnics and just hanging out due to its nice view of the lake.

At Thursday night’s event, those who worked hard to renovate the playground were honored, including the three neighborhood mothers who started the Friends of Mountain Lake Park Playground (FMLPP) group to organize and fundraise for the new playground. In appreciation, Rec & Parks Director Phil Ginsburg presented Claire Myers, Jen Fetner and Kate Green with miniature “Mountain Lake Park Playground” signs in the classic green and white colors to commemorate their hard work.

The three neighborhood mothers who spearheaded the playground renovation (L to R): Jen Fetner, Kate Green and Claire Myers

Thursday night’s event capped off a 7 year long effort to get the park renovated. The $3.14 million cost was funded by the 2012 Clean and Safe Neighborhood Parks Bond, the city’s general fund, and several hundred thousand dollars raised by the FMLPP.

New StoryWalk at Mountain Lake

If you are at the playground, take some extra time to stroll the lake and check out the new Storywalk exhibit. Created by a partnership between the GGNRA, the SF Public Library and Chronicle Books, StoryWalks are “a way for children of all ages and their families to explore the park and have a reading adventure at the same time.”

Mountain Lake Park’s StoryWalk is based on pages from the book I Wrote You A Note by Lizi Boyd, and highlights the wildlife and fauna in and around the lake. There are 14 panels in total, with the first one located at the northeast corner, and the final one right near the playground.

Sarah B.