Playgrounds in Central Mass and Beyond

An update from Westminster Parks and Rec is included below in the Westminster section.

Let me tell you what our playgrounds were like growing up in Central Mass in the 1970s. First, everything was made of metal, with no protective safety coating on any chains or bars. The only thing I remember being not metal were the seats of the swings. Speaking of the swingsets, anyone who went to Baldwinville Elementary School can correct me if I’m wrong or exaggerating, but I clearly remember the legs of the oversized swing sets being only partially attached to the concrete that was intended to hold them on the ground.

On top of that, the swingsets were very tall, requiring very long chains to get near the ground. This meant we could get going really high, at which point sometimes the leg of the swing set would lift off of the ground if you got going too high. If you jumped from the swing, there was no comfortable rubbery base, it was pea stones and you got hurt.

Two of my favorite things at the Baldwinville playgrounds were the monkey bars, which I’m sure would be deemed far too dangerous for today’s children. And the spinning device that we called the whirlybird (probably illegal by now). The teacher would stand there at the whirlybird and spin it and spin it, and we would all hang on for dear life. The faster, the better. When it finally stopped, I clearly remember walking away, occasionally falling down dizzy while trying to walk away.

One thing that wasn’t made of metal at our playgrounds, were the seesaws. The seesaws were made of untreated wood, dried after many years – – a real sliver factory. Also the seesaws were adjustable so if you wanted to put two kids on one end and one on the other end, you could adjust the untethered bracket in the center. The seesaws I remember were pretty long, which resulted in pretty good height when you were at the top. Sometimes the kid on the other end of the seesaw would jump off when they were down low, which would bring you crashing to the ground from up high. Good Times.

Here’s a list of today’s playgrounds in Central Mass. 

Ashburnham
Ashburnham Library Playground and Band Stand, Ashburnham Center
Sweeney Playground, South Ashburnham

Ashby
Friends of Ashby Playground

Boylston
Hillside Complex
Manor Park

Clinton
Philbin Memorial Park
Savage Field

Fitchburg
Bartley-Nolan Park
Caldwell Park
Coggshall Park
Crocker Playground
Goodrich Playground

Green Corners ParkJoAnn “Mama” Fitz Memorial Playground
Howarth Park
Lowe Playground
Parkhill Park
Phillips Playground
Sadie Quatrale Park

Gardner
Bickford Playground
Greenwood Memorial Pool and Splash Park
Greenwood Park
Jackson Playground
Ovila Case Playground
Pulaski Playground

Holden
Dawson Recreation Area Super Playground
Eagle Lake Recreation Area Playground

Hubbardston
Rainbow’s End Playground

Lancaster

Leominster 
Arthur A. Fournier Sr. Memorial Park
Barrett Park
Doyle Field Playground
Fay Scharmett Memorial Park (Dino Park)
Louis Charpentier Playground (Third Street Playground)

Lunenburg

Paxton

Phillipston

Princeton
Sawyer Field

Rutland

Sterling

Templeton
Gilman-Waite Playground

Westminster
New Playground Under Construction! Westminster Parks and Recreation 7/5 update here:

🎉🌞 Good Morning, Westminster! The day our kids (and let’s be honest… us too!) have been waiting for is finally HERE!

🛝 The NEW Academy Hill Park Playground is officially OPEN and ready for playtime adventures!

Before you grab the snacks and sunscreen, here are a few things to know when visiting:

🚧 PARKING UPDATE

The parking lot at the Azarian Barn is still CLOSED while final work and paving (including ADA-accessible parking) are completed over the next few weeks. In the meantime:

✅ Please use the smaller entrance to the playground (see photos for reference).

✅ Follow the clearly marked pathway signs to reach the main entrance and stay on the path and off the dirt/grass.

🚗 PARKING GUIDELINES

✔️ Park on the playground side of the road only (no parking on the grass!).

❌ This helps prevent kids from needing to cross the road—safety first!

⚠️ DRIVE SAFELY

Speed humps are in place and speed limits have been reduced. Please drive slow and stay alert—lots of excited little ones around!

🚪 SAFETY REMINDERS

Keep the gate closed when entering and exiting.

Follow all posted Playground Rules (check out the signs in the attached photos and posted on the playground fence).

👏 A HUGE thank you to our incredible teams at Town Hall, our Parks & Recreation Committee, the Department of Public Works, Police Department, Fire Department, and everyone else who worked hard to make this playground a reality!

💚 Special shoutout to Child Scapes Parks and Recreation Equipment for designing and building such an amazing space for our kids to explore, climb, swing, and laugh in.

📅 GRAND OPENING EVENT: Once all final touches are complete, we’ll be celebrating BIG in early August—stay tuned!

This park is packed with all the features you and your little ones could dream of. Whether you’re looking to climb, swing, explore, or just relax, Academy Hill Park has it all!

Here’s a sneak peek at what’s waiting for you:

🌟 Two impressive climbing units with a variety of challenges for different skill levels

🎢 Multiple slides for hours of fun (because who doesn’t love a slide?!)

🎶 A musical play area to let your kids explore their creative side

🏰 A rock tunnel that’s perfect for hiding and exploring

🌞 Covered seating areas for parents to relax and watch the fun unfold

🍉 Picnic tables for family lunches, snacks, and community hangouts

…And much, much more!

We’re putting the finishing touches on everything and making sure that Academy Hill Park is a place where memories are made and fun never ends! 👏✨
WESTMINSTER PARKS AND RECREATION FACEBOOK POST

Am I missing anything in this RESOURCE STORY? Please message me with any info you have, so I can always keep my CENTRAL MASS RESOURCE STORIES as current and relevant as possible!

SIGN UP FOR NEWSLETTER