Maddy's Guide to Playgrounds in Burlington - Overlook Park

 

Basics:

Date of visit: August 31st, 2024

Where can I find it? Hidden behind some abandoned buildings

Bathrooms? LOL

Parking? Plenty, just lock your doors

When open? Never? Always? 

Review:

Overlook park. The playground that time forgot. If you are looking for a quiet place for existential considerations, look no further! Overlook is better thought of as museum piece. 

You are greeted with tall, unmowed grass for small children to hide within, across from several buildings that appear to be unoccupied, and adjacent a storage for old town equipment. Presumably, that equipment was used to maintain this park. 

There is a battle between the grass gang and the wood chip gang for control of this turf.

With only a single set of swings, one slide structure, and one set of monkey bars, it does not take terribly long to exhaust one's play options. That, coupled with its relative isolation, one can see why it has not received a great deal of attention to date. 

The swings have cobwebs strung between them, giving you an indication of this particular park's popularity

The metallic tube has a certain prison-like quality not often seen in other parks.

Still, the charm of the 1980's conception of a dystopian future made real is an engaging concept. Not so much for the facilities within the fence, but by what is all around it. 

The graffiti across the street, while kid friendly, adds to the gritty ambiance. 

You half expect some ancient robot that gained sentience to wander out of the woods and wants to make friends. 

My father tells me that the town plans to overhaul and renovate this park in the next year or so, but who knows what he actually knows. As reviewed, I give it four boom boxes.

At least, I think I do. I am still not entirely sure what these things even are!

Madelyn Hope Lewis is the senior playground tester of Lewis Developments, and a connoisseur of playtime activities. When she's not exploring Massachusetts fun time architecture, she can be found scouting out where is exactly "the line" with her parents.