Location: 1317 Ranch Trail. Located in Irving’s Valley Ranch, at the corner of Ranch Trail and Ranchview Drive.
What makes it noteworthy: North Lake Ranch Park is a fun park with a lot to offer. Both play sets for younger and older kids are completely covered to protect kids from the beating sun or strong winds. There are several chairs surrounding each play area to give parents a clear view of their kids from any angle. The four swings and two baby swings are off to the side, so no section of the playground gets too crowded at one time.
Extras: The baby play set had three slides, and the older kid play set had two. There was a small field for practicing soccer or football, and a half court basketball court on turf for practice shooting hoops. A covered pavilion sat across the field, overlooking both play areas and the swing set to provide a view of the entire park. There were even two portable toilets for restroom emergencies.
Safety: This playground received an A* on the Playground Safety Report Card. It was mostly clean and well maintained except for a few scruff marks on the slides and play structures.
Plus
+Two play sets for different ages
+Covered play areas
+6 swings and 5 slides
Minus
-Scratches on the slides
-Only portable toilets
Overall grade: 4/5 stars
*Based on the National Program for Playground Safety’s Report Card at playgroundsafety.org
Published November 2015
