Wantz Park, Loves Park

Neighborhood playground with large jungle gym and play structures for toddlers and grade schoolers

Address: 602 E Riverside Blvd, Loves Park, IL

Description: Located in Loves Park, near the intersection of Riverside and North Second Street, Wantz Park has two play structures; one for toddlers and one for bigger kids, a large jungle gym, and swings. Wantz Park hosts the Park District’s Time 2 Play neighborhood program during the summer.

Best for ages: 2-12

Features:

• Four areas of play – Toddler section, big kid section, swings, and jungle gym
• Medium play structure for bigger kids with several slides, stairs and climbing entrances
• Small play structure for toddlers with steps, climbing entrances and slides
• 15-20 ft. tall jungle gym with multiple climbing options and a fireman pole down the center
• Several climbing features – metal bars and climbing wall entrances
• Baseball themed TicTacToe game
• American Sign Language display
• Monkey bars
• Steering wheel and stool beneath bigger kid play structure
• Balancing steps at toddler structure
• Pull-up bar
• Five slides (1 tall triple slide, 1 tall single slide, 1 shorter double slide, 1 twisty toddler slide, and 1 straight toddler slide)
• Two swing sets with six swings total (3 regular sized, 2 baby swings, 1 special needs swing)
• Several benches and picnic tables in view of the playground
• Nearby pavilion with 5 picnic tables
• Large grassy space
• Nearby soccer field
• Nearby baseball diamond
• Garbage cans

Sun protection: N, most of the playground is in full sun

Parking: On street around the park

Playground structure materials: Metal, plastic

Ground/surface materials: Wood chips

Fenced in? N

Slides? Y, five slides

Swings? Y, six swings

Picnic tables, benches or other seating? Y, six benches and six picnic tables in view of the playground (some underneath a pavilion)

Walking path, sidewalk or bike path? Y, sidewalk around the park

Stroller accessibility? Y

Bathrooms? N

Drinking fountain? Y

Food and drink nearby? Y, McDonald’s, Beef a Roo, Jimmy Johns and Walgreens are a 5-15 minute walk from the park.

What makes it special or worth visiting?

Wantz Park has two play structures, one for toddlers and another for bigger kids. The bigger kid play structure has three slides including a unique tall triple slide that three kids can ride down at once. The toddler structure has balancing steps, stairs, a climbing entrance, and two small slides. There’s also a 15-20 ft. tall jungle gym with a variety of ladders that lead to the top and a fireman pole down the center. There’s also a large grassy area and sidewalk that goes throughout the park.

If you go, you may want to bring:

• Packed lunch – There’s a pavilion with several picnic tables where you can eat
• Soccer balls and baseball bats and balls – There’s a soccer field and baseball diamond
• Sunscreen and hats – The playground is in full sun

**Note: During the summer, Wantz Park is often busy because they host Time 2 Play from 9 am – 5 pm. There is also a fair amount of traffic on two of the streets that border the park (E. Riverside and Clifford Ave.) throughout the day.