15723 Parkhouse Dr, Fontana, CA 92336
Hours: Monday-Sunday (24 Hours)
Restrooms? Yes, restrooms are located in the main parking lot just in front of the playground.
Playground Surface: Mostly rubber with a small mulch area on the first play area.
Parking Lot? Yes, there is a small dedicated parking lot right in front of the playground with numerous other parking areas throughout the park.
Gated/Fenced? While the playground is partially fenced near the street, it is mainly not fenced or gated.
Overview
Located in the city of Fontana, Fontana Park is an utterly massive and phenomenal park, offering an abundance of recreational activities for families and visitors. From the parks exceptional Skate Park to its amazing Aquatics Center and Community Center, everyone will find something here that suits their interests. Additionally, there are three exceptional playground areas located inside the park, that are truly unique and that kids will have a blast running back and forth from, peeking their desires to explore each one.
There is just so much to do at Fontana Park and it is a truly great place to spend the day, either walking its paved walking paths, watching the kids play on its playgrounds or just walking along the nicely manicured lawn areas. Visitors are sure to be blown away by this incredible park, in the same fashion that our family was.
Features
3 Separate Play Areas
Main Playground Structure (For Kids Ages 5-12 Years Old)
- Rubber and mulch play surface
- 2 slides including a race slide and a wave slide
- 2 bench swings and 2 accessible swings
- Big rock wall
- Monkey bars and spinner
- Ring ladder climber and other unique climbers
Sunken Ship/Castle Play Area (2nd Play Area) (For Kids Ages 2-12 Years Old)
- Rubber play surface
- Castle and Pirate Ship play structures for imaginative play
- Dolphin and Whale concrete play structures for kids to climb and play on
- Rock Cave
- 2 Boats
- Tables with chess boards and large Checkerboard area
Sculpture Play Area (3rd Play Area) (For Kids Ages 2-12 Years Old)
- Butterfly and flower canopies
- 2 lady bugs, 2 frogs, a caterpillar, butterfly and snail concrete structures for kids to climb and play on
- Fenced near the street
Other Amenities
- Community Center with indoor gymnasium and a fitness center
- Aquatics Center with multiple pools, slides and a zero depth play area
- Skate/BMX Park
- Covered Sports Arena
- Dog Park
- Walking Paths and expansive lawn areas
- Basketball court
- Picnic Tables
Scout’s Story
About 7 months ago, my wife and I spent about two weeks living in the Kaiser Pediatrics ICU in Fontana, with our nearly 2 year old daughter, Scout, as she underwent an almost 10 hour surgery to remove cancerous tumors from her liver and pelvic area. This was a moment that we had been awaiting since Scout had been diagnosed with stage 4 cancer nearly a year earlier. As we sat in the hospital, waiting for Scout to recover and awaiting the results of the pathology of her tumors that had been removed, I looked around on Google maps, imagining places nearby that I could take Scout on this day if she weren’t in the hospital bed.
One of the first places that popped up that caught my eye was the exceptional Fontana Park. I made a note of this park and told myself that we would bring Scout here one day. Fast forward seven months, and Scout’s cancer has now been in remission for approximately 6 months. With Christmas just around the corner, my wife and I made a plan to take Scout to see the Christmas Lights at the Mission Inn in Riverside. I thought this would be the perfect opportunity to stop at Fontana Park as it was directly on our way to Riverside.
We started the morning by making our way to Fontana Park, before heading towards Rancho Cucamonga and then Riverside. It felt a little weird being back in Fontana, just a short distance from where Scout’s tumor resection surgery took place just a few months prior. A lot of emotions and thoughts ran through my head, from how far Scout has come through her battle with cancer, to the doctors, nurses and surgeons that cared for our family and helped save Scout’s life. Inevitable thoughts of the fears of this disease consistently crept into my head but I was determined to be grateful for the point that Scout has reached and remain positive that this disease would never return.
Scout’s Day at Fontana Park
It was a chilly but gorgeous morning. We put Scout’s tiny coat on her and watched her take off towards the first play area. Scout has changed so much since her surgery. Her motor skills have grown so much, along with her hair, which now seems to be coming in fairly quickly. Scout is now 2 and a half and can pretty much navigate most play areas with minimal assistance from her mom and I.
The awesome part of Fontana Park is that there are 3 exceptional play areas, all located a short distance from each other making it easy for kids can to run back and forth, exploring each one. This is exactly what Scout did, as she explored the pirate ship and boats and the many animal sculptures throughout. Her face lit up with her usual smile as she ran as fast as her little legs would take her.
My wife and I sat back and relished in this precious moment. We both watched as our baby girl played with the other kids and lacked any visible signs of a child who had spent the previous year of her life fighting a horrific disease. This was such a wonderful morning for our family, with lots of smiles and self contemplation. We couldn’t wait for the fun and happiness that the rest of the day had in store before checking out the Christmas Lights at the Mission Inn later in the evening. This was yet another great morning that life handed us with Scout.
November 28, 2023
