We're all about parks right now...why? Because we want you to get outdoors with your little ones in Ottawa this summer! Thanks to Tracy Noble for checking out Walter Baker Park. If you'd like to add your two cents, consider filling out our survey on your favourite Ottawa parks!

Four years ago I wrote a brief post on Walter Baker Park in Kanata. My daughter was almost three at the time and it was her favourite local park – four years later, it still is. Throughout the summer months, my daughter can often be found running up and down the toboggan hill (or rolling down), swinging on the tire swing or playing pirates on the larger play structure.

Visiting the park has shown me how much she has grown up! I no longer feel the need to keep my eye on her to make sure she doesn’t climb so high that she is afraid to climb down, nor do I watch to make sure she doesn’t venture to the splash pad on a cold day (she no longer finds being wet on a cold day as funny as it used to be). Now I just ensure she is within eyesight or that I know where she and her friends are exploring next (there are lots of places to explore at Walter Baker Park).

We continue to visit Walter Baker Park for many reasons. In addition to having a splash pad, as well as two sets of swings and two play structures (one for the younger kids and one for the older kids), it is located on a vast green space, which means kids can run and play safely without having to worry about vehicular traffic. There are also bathrooms available within walking distance (the Kanata Recreation Complex is located onsite). It has ample parking, which is always a good thing with kids in tow. The park also has large trees - the big oak tree located by the toddler play structure is my daughter’s favourite - which provide the perfect shade for picnics. There are numerous picnic tables and benches conveniently located within eyesight of the play structures and swings. There is also a covered picnic table area for a larger gathering and an even larger gazebo located near a walking trail that is a great place for an impromptu dance party.

Walter Baker Park is a great park for children young and old – and adults too! The park’s recent addition of an outdoor fitness circuit (located beside the splash pad; on the other side of the trees) is a great place for adults to get some outdoor exercise of their own! It is a full body workout and each piece of equipment includes directions and ideas on what exercises you can do with the available equipment. Between this and a run up and down the big toboggan hill, Walter Baker Park has everything you need for a full body workout!

Walking to the top of the toboggan hill is a family tradition. At the end of our park visit, we always walk up the hill and take in the view. You can see the Canadian Tire Centre among many other things in the Kanata area.