The Twin Cities

stuffaboutminneapolis:

Twin Lakes Park, St. Louis Park

I had an epiphany of sorts yesterday, as the family and I ran around the playground at Twin Lakes Park, while watching the members of Beth El Synagogue prepare for Tashlikh. I thought to myself, what more could I add to the blog that I know about, yet relates to the theme of “Stuff about Minneapolis?” My God that’s it….Parks! As the father of two young girls, we go to Minneapolis metro parks all the time, and to keep things fresh, new, and exciting, we like to try out parks we haven’t been at before. I’m not sure what criteria I will use to base the review on, but things like neighborhood, condition of equipment, and overall ambiance will make up the foundation for my review. So, let’s try this out by starting with Twin Lakes Park…

Overview- Located on 26th Street, just east of Hwy 100, and tucked behind Benilde-St. Margaret’s High School, Twin Lakes Park is a place I’ve been coming to since I was a kid. (My aunt, uncle, and cousins lived nearby) It is in much better shape than I remember, especially since they cleaned out the old sewage pond, and made a small wildlife area out of it, with signs pointing out native birds and plants.
Equipment- Everything is in good shape, and they use the wood chips as a “floor” for the playground area. The kids swings are by far the best in the metro area, they are whisper quiet and lightning fast.
Kids- Because Beth El Synagogue is only a block away, the park usually has a good mix of kids and families on the weekends.
Other amenities and notes- No parking lot, but good off street parking. Porta potty on site, and there is a small “nature trail” as well. Quiet, older neighborhood with many people out and about.
Review- Twin Lakes isn’t a park with a huge playground area, but because all the equipment looks good, and it is usually buzzing with activity from kids, it is one of our favorites to go play at.