Cypress Community Park

The Cypress Community Park is located on Visions, just one block down from Jeffery Road. You head northbound on Jeffery Road, make a right turn on Roosevelt, and then another right turn on Visions, the park will be on you right side. Pull into the parking lot and make a left and you will see the park. Cypress Village is a fairly new community in Irvine. So as expected, the facilities are also quite new.

The playground consists of two play structures: one for 5 to 12 and the other one for 2 to 5. There is a climb structure near the 5 to 12 structure that looks almost like a real rock climbing wall. The park also has four swings (two for toddlers and two for adults), three seesaws (two short and one regular size), and two excavators sitting on the sand pool.

There are four entry points on the 2 to 5 play structure: one staircases, one climbing blocks, one ladder and one plastic rock climber, however, there is only one dual slide for the toddlers to get down. This post the same question that I have on the Sycamore Park: who think this is a good idea to have so many entry points but only one slide to get out? This will be a automatic traffic jam epcicenter if we're talking about LA freeway. :)

The play structure doesn't have much extra activity. The only two choices are the wheel on the platform, or the table under the platform so they can play with the sand pool that's right next to the structure.

The 5 to 12 play structure has even more entry points compare to the 2 to 5, includes two staircases, two ladders, one monkey bar, and two climbing boards, but at least this one has two slides: one single turn slide and one dual slide. However, the dual slide is only accessible (if you go with the traditional staircases entry) after you walk through the fake rock bridge. That rock bridge is quite narrow and there's no handrail on either side, so I felt like I'm Indiana Jones trying to get to the treasure whenever I walked across that bridge. I can imagine that kids that are 5 to 12 might not have any problems crossing that, but just a little bit scary from my point of view.

There are also few new (OK, so may be they're already at other parks, but this is the first time I encounter one) play equipments, such as the flower style mini-merry-go-around, or the excavators on the sandbox, or the large climbing structure on the other end.

The overall design language of the play structures is quite similar to the one at Sycamore Park, which uses dull color tone on the structure with umbrella shades. The dull color is bad choice, but the umbrella shades are good call. I strongly encourage community (or city) to consider the adding shades when replace the older play structures. It benefits not only the kids, but the parents who accompany them.

The park is not very busy. I suspect not a lot of people know about this park, or may be because I went there during off-peak hours, but nevertheless, it is a very nice park that the kids will enjoy and the parents will relax.

The park is very close to the 5 freeway. There is also the Trabuco Grove shopping center right across the street, plus the Orange Tree Square and The Arbor shopping center down the road not too far away, which is quite nice for a half-day family activities.

Pro: Quiet neighborhood, quiet park, new-ish play structures, interesting play equipments, umbrella shade on both structures, a lot of parking spots 

Con: strange color choice, restroom is locked (I'm not 100% sure)