Where are the decent playgrounds in Wandsworth and Tooting? Post Reply

[LauraJT]

We’re moving to SW17 from fulham and am really disappointed and surprised by the lack of and uninspiring playgrounds in the Wandsworth and Tooting area. Other than the beautiful but embarrassingly tiny playground at Chivalry Road they all seem dark, dingy, metal and old fashioned.
Where are your skate parks, and big play spaces for older kids?

Compared with Fulham and Hammersmith where we have so many great big playgrounds at Bishops Park, South Park and hurlingham park, Ravenscourt Park. With plenty of light, great wooden climbing, slides, skate parks, basketball pitches, zip lines and sandpits.

Great to see Southfields is getting a face lift but are there plans for new or improved facilities in SW11, 12 and 17?

Or if I’m missing something please do let me know and send me in the right direction.

[lemonzest]

Skate park at Kimber Rd, but that’s SW18. No idea where you are in SW17. There’s also another big playground in King George’s Park (the smaller toddler one mentioned as undergoing a refurb is further north within the park).

[grapefruit gin]

I think Battersea Park might be more of what you are looking for. There is a really good wooden / rope play section and there is also a Go Ape. There is a skate park on Clapham common with an otdoor basketball court alongside and all of the commons have good tennis facilities. Tooting common also has the outdoor athletics track. 

[LauraJT]

Thanks for your suggestion. I’ve lived in London for 20 years, so know Battersea Park well. It’s a great park but not really a locals one where you’d bump into your neighbours or pop to on a regular basis.

What I’m really talking about is a decent local park you can walk or cycle to with kids from home in 5/10/15 mins.

It’s probably more of a rhetorical question as I’ve researched and failed to find any park that live up to the standards of neighbouring boroughs.

What gives Wandsworth? Does anyone else find this to be a problem?

[Janet14]

I’ve recently moved out of the area and completely agree with you. However, I used to enjoy the ones at Brockwell Park in Brixton! Try there!

[dudette]

This is a fantastic area to bring up kids but if it doesn’t meet with your approval then maybe stay in Fulham. You’ve done your research and are just coming on here to complain but guess what - we all love this area so you aren’t going to find much sympathy.

[Starr]

Yup I agree with you. Better playgrounds in surrounding areas and we did travel to Brockwell Park, Holland Park, Bishops Park, Battersea, Burgess park, Ravescourt Park, the amazing one near the Horniman museum etc but often to meet friends in other areas and in the summer hols.
Mine are getting bigger but it is something I noticed as well when I moved here and might have something to do with low council tax.
The area does make up for it in so many other ways - we also have 3 beautiful commons. Our nearest playground was upper Tooting playground. Tooting Common has a decent playground too but was a bit of a trek for a day to day trip.

[dimelda]

To:  Dudette:   Laura JT  is new to the area & asking a perfectly valid question.   You are the only one on this post who’s implied that she’s ‘... on here to complain’ & that she’s ‘… asking for sympathy’.  What gratuitous comments.   If you say it’s a ‘…. fantastic area to bring up kids’, then you must know why.  Why don’t you tell her therefore where she can find inspiring playgrounds in the Wandsworth and Tooting area?  Unless of course there aren’t any.

[dudette]

Hi Dimelda - I wasn't commenting on her original post but on her reply to a question above where she says "It’s probably more of a rhetorical question as I’ve researched and failed to find any park that live up to the standards of neighbouring boroughs." So if she had done her research and knew there wasn't one why did she ask the question other to moan ("what gives Wandsworth?") and suggest Wandsworth isn't as good as Fulham?

[AbbevilleMummy]

Hi, I can’t anything that hasn’t already been recommended but interested in your suggestions of parks you used to frequent. What are your recommendations? Always keen to try out new places with my slightly older kids and the dog on the weekends as especially as following lockdowns we are now completely bored by the local offerings!