Mosaic Park in Ballston is NOW OPEN!
Have you heard about Mosaic Park in Ballston? This urban oasis adds a new opportunity to play to the middle of a high-rise heavy block of North Arlington. Eventually, it will be the home of the largest splash park in Arlington County!
There is a lot to like about the playground at Mosaic Park- it features a hilly, multi-colored turf which is great for climbing, sliding, and imaginative play. It also features three closely-grouped play structures for various skill levels, which is helpful for families to keep track of multiple-aged kids. The park also has a small but challenging-looking climbing wall. A patch of artificial turf - it's too small to call it a field- sits at the back edge of the playground. We saw someone practicing their soccer skills there, but it looks a bit too small to play a full game. We couldn't quite figure out the high-tech merry-go-rounds with scan codes directing us to a website with interactive games. Frankly, that was way past my "parent-involvement" level at the playground, so we didn't delve into it, but we liked that it was something that older kids might want to explore.
The park also has a separate area for a "soon to be finished interactive water feature" (is that a fancy way to say splash pad?) promised by Arlington County, which will hopefully be ready for next summer. This area looks promising and already features some oversized deck chairs for lounging. It is reportedly set to be the county's largest public splash pad, with clean and recirculated water!
There were some downsides to our experience - namely parking, shade, and restrooms. There is free two-hour street parking, but the availability of parking will depend on when you go. There was one spot available for us on a Friday afternoon, and we could easily see it being a little tricky to grab a spot on the street. The empty parking lot immediately adjacent to the park taunted us, but the spots are clearly marked "gym only", and we did not dare take a chance parking there, knowing that the towing companies are always active in Ballston. I was also a bit dismayed that there is NO shade at this playground. Perhaps I need to be more patient and let the 144 newly planted trees grow in, but in the meantime, pack your sunscreen for this park, even on a mild fall day. As for restrooms, it is always inconvenient when restrooms are nowhere to be found - so plan ahead and maybe scope out one of the nearby restaurants for lunch and bathroom options (we hit &Pizza for lunch afterwards, which is a great option for crowd-pleasing food and a roomy outdoor dining terrace).
The county is promising more fun things for this urban space, including basketball courts, seating, urban plazas, and landscaping, so we will be excited to see how all of that unfolds!
Mosaic Park is located at 538 N. Pollard Street, free two hour street parking, .4 miles from Virginia Square-GMU metro (orange and silver lines)
