I had not originally planned on reviewing the two parks together, but I kept being so aware of the differences that all my thoughts became a matter of comparison.
One similarity is that both are built adjacent to middle schools; Dirksen located behind Fowler and Champions next to and sharing its name with Mountain View.
The differences all come down to accessibility. That is normally a featured section on these reviews, but here will be the driving issue. That includes simple access to the place itself. We missed the entrance to Dirksen twice, because it looks like the entrance to a house with a slightly larger driveway. There is a sign, but it is easy to miss.
Champions has its own parking lot, clearly marked. This may be partly a necessity, and planned, due to it also having a sports field.
Champions has wide, flat paths that allow for easy navigation. Even where there are some dirt paths, they are relatively smooth.
By contrast, if you parked at Dirksen (which we did), you had a long dirt path to cover to make it to the playground. We were visiting not long after rain, so not only was there was mud that we tried to avoid, but there were also path sections with a steep grade. Drier weather would take care of the mud, but not the steepness. As it was, one of our group members slipped and fell, putting a damper on the entire excursion.
We were going to the playground to see the whimsical carved stumps, featuring gnomes, fairy doors, woodland creatures, and one dinosaur (on the other side of the gnome).
These were indeed cute, but that did not make getting there any easier.
We wondered if perhaps there was another entrance we had missed. There was a baseball field; perhaps it was by that?
There really doesn't seem to be good access. We overheard a couple with a stroller saying that they thought there would be a boardwalk. I had thought so too, based on photos that come up when searching on the park. I believe that is because Dirksen connects to the Fanno Creek Trail, and the photo is a section of the trail, but not the one in the park. (I do want to explore the trail more at some point.)
The issues of access became worse when considering the play area. The beaver theme is adorable, but any children who can't clamber over logs (which I admit was one of my favorite activities, back in the day) are largely left out.
Champions was built specifically to be accessible, and it was interesting to see some of the innovations they had. They not only thought of different ways of navigating, but also experiencing the park. Hence the row of durable musical instruments allowing play with sound.
Since first visiting Champions, I have been more aware of playground features. I have been impressed by the play options at Cook Park, and noticed when older parks like Tigard Community Park had made some improvements, but where other things had not changed.
Dirksen Nature Park is from 2010. It should be doing better.
I acknowledge that some of that may be location. Even with the name, suggesting a nature park... a park can be more for quiet observation than play. I love the little wetland viewing area with the statues.
However, Tualatin Hills Nature Park -- which does not have a playground, and has trails that might not be great for limited mobility -- still has good parking and a facility where people can spend time.
I also completely see the value in small park and trail spaces that don't have parking but provide some green space available for people walking or jogging in the neighborhood.
I guess you can even make a point that if children using walkers and adults on scooters and families pushing strollers can't easily get to the playground, then why does it matter if the play area is accessible once there? But if it's your neighborhood that has a magical playground that you can't get to, what then?
That is why I so appreciate the thought and planning that went into Champions, not just in seeking feedback from people with disabilities at the time, but in continuing to invite feedback now.
They have created a space that is innovate and inclusive, for the local community and also for people who are not so local but might still find their way.
COVID: Both parks are primarily outdoors and where it is easy to maintain distancing. Dirksen has a small education building where masks would certainly be necessary, and for games at Champions, people sitting closely together may want to exercise caution.
https://www.tigard-or.gov/Home/Components/FacilityDirectory/FacilityDirectory/56/
http://www.thprd.org/parks-and-trails/detail/mountain-view-champions-park
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