Gaylord has two downtown playgrounds for grandparents, parents and grandkids to enjoy. I’ve known this for several decades — first with my three kids when they were growing up, second when my two oldest grandkids were little guys and, now, with my youngest two grandkids who are currently at a prime playground-playing age.
I think a small town with two downtown playground parks is a wonderful luxury. Gaylord is one such town. You would be hard pressed to find any town, big or small, in the state of Michigan which does not have at least a small patch of green within the village or city limits, set aside for a park and some playground equipment for kids of all ages to romp about and burn off some excess energy.
Gaylord has the woodsy Doumas Park south of Main Street next to the Intermediate School and the more wide open and grassy Freel Park on the north side behind the post office. My kids and grandkids, as well as myself, have always been more partial to Doumas but the more recently updated Freel fits the bill just fine as well.
As I stated, I’m currently on my third set of small kids who have an appreciation for any playground and city park anywhere in the state. Outside of Gaylord’s double downtown parks, my kids and grandkids have enjoyed playgrounds in Elmira, Central Lake, Suttons Bay, Lake Ann, Boyne City, Kalkaska, East Jordan, Clawson, and, well, pretty much anywhere else that has swings, monkey bars/jungle gyms and slides on offer.
The Energy Outlet next to Gaylord’s Sportsplex has had its moments, but there’s always been something sort of off-putting to me about the place. Lots of playground choices but lacking in a welcoming parklike quality with lots of trees one can find at Gaylord’s more traditional Doumas and Freel parks.
Last summer, my youngest grandson Keenan learned the secret to riding a bike and he wasn’t going to let it go. He and little sister, Lydia, were staying at our house for several weeks while a major renovation was being undertaken at their house on the Platte River near Lake Ann. One afternoon we took the kids to Doumas Park and Keenan took his bike.
He rode it and rode it and rode it on a wonderful paved loop in the park, little legs peddling furiously, leaning into and perfecting the intricacies of steering, slowing down and speeding up at the curves while Lydia enjoyed the swings, slides and monkey bars.
Keenan eventually took a break from his endless bicycle loops and gave his skinny little legs a rest. Later, we loaded up his bike and drove across Main Street to check out the Freel Park swings and slides before stopping at the Alpine Chocolat Haus for a non-dairy ice cream treat on the way home.
Something about a small town park with playground appeals to my sense of nostalgia, a harkening back to a simpler time which likely never existed but feels good to think about — Friday night concerts at a bandshell, picnic dinners on a blanket and kids swinging furiously as dusk settles in surrounded by lightning bugs lazily blinking on and off and the scent of some night blooming flower wafting in the air.
All of those imaginary things come to mind when I’ve hung out with my kids/grandkids over the years at various playgrounds taking it easy and contentedly watching life passing us by.
Michael Jones is a columnist and former staff writer for the Gaylord Herald Times. He can be contacted at mfomike2@hotmail.com.
This article originally appeared on The Petoskey News-Review: Keep it Simple: A tale of two Gaylord playgrounds
Reporting by Michael Jones, The Petoskey News-Review / The Petoskey News-Review
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By Michael Jones, The Petoskey News-Review | USA TODAY Network
