Last week I wrote a good-bye blog post, announcing that HRM Parent would be closing down at the end of this month. In the days that followed, my inbox was overrun with emails from HRM Parent members, filled with delightful thank yous and well wishes, and cries of 'NOOOOOOO don't go!'. Many of you wrote about how HRM Parent helped you get through some of those hard parenting stages we all face from time to time, about what a valuable and necessary resource it is for families in the HRM. Thank you so much for all these emails and comments. Each one meant so very much to me. I started HRM Parent hoping to connect parents and make local families' lives easier. I can now leave happily, knowing that I did that.

The good news is that while I may be leaving, HRM Parent is sticking around! Along with those emails last week came offers to continue the site and so I'm thrilled to announce that HRM Parent has found some wonderful new owners - new parents, I guess you could say! The new owners - Sarah and Sean Williams, and Meghan Collins, are long-time HRM Parent members and parents to three young children between them. I think they will do a fantastic job, bringing new ideas and enthusiasm to HRM Parent! The transfer should be complete soon, so stay tuned to hear from Sarah, Sean and Meghan!

I'm really looking forward to being part of the HRM Parent community as a member, a parent, just like you all. And you never know, I may return in one form or another - there have been whispers of guest blogging when baby craziness has passed! (So, uh, that'd be in how many years?!)

Best wishes to you all, and thanks for being part of HRM Parent - I hope you continue to do so!

Wow, this week has been insane! Thank you to everyone who has sent well wishes and cries of 'NOOOOOOOO don't go!' following the big announcement on Monday of HRM Parent closing down. They all really, really mean so much to me. And so I'd like to let you all in on a little secret and ask you to send some good vibes my way, OK? Because it looks like HRM Parent won't be closing down after all! I don't want to jinx it, and I'm in the middle of firming up all the details, but assuming all goes well then HRM Parent has found some wonderful new owners to love and nurture it. Yay! More details to come so please stay tuned...

This has not been a fun blog post to write. Announcing the end of something is difficult, especially something that has been such a big part of my life for the last few years. But here I am and so here it goes: HRM Parent will be closing down at the end of this month.

This hasn't been an easy decision, but I do believe it is the right one for myself and for my family. With a baby expected any day now (!), and already existing personal commitments, something just had to give, and that something is HRM Parent. I am sorry that I won't be able to continue providing what I believe has been a valuable local resource for families. There are so many wonderful things to share about family living in Halifax and I will miss sharing them with you! But I am also really looking forward to this new phase of my life - new babies are such fun, and big brother Alex, daddy Richard and myself are ready to welcome this little one into our lives.

The website will remain online until the end of November and will then be taken down. Thank you all for your support over the years and I'm sure I will see many of you around the city - please do say hi!

This guest blog post is from Alex Smith of PlayGround Chronicles - thanks Alex for this wonderful post! What's your favourite playground or piece of playground equipment? Please feel free to share your thoughts in the comments below.

This top ten list of fun playground equipment is a result of flipping through photos and memories of trips to over 30 playgrounds in the last two summers. It’s heavily influenced by the fact that our kids are in the under 5 age bracket. I’m sure a list made in three or four years time will look considerably different.

With Earl’s big blow behind us, there’s still plenty of time to get out and explore our local playgrounds and test some of these top ten pieces before the north winds have their chill effect. We’ll be getting a few more reviews in before shutting down until next summer. Next on deck are the Portland Estates playgrounds.

If you have a suggestion of a playground we should visit, we’d love to hear from you. Send us a note at – playground.chronicles@gmail.com.

For the list below, click on the photos to link to more photos from the same playground and click on the bolded playground name to go to the google map location. (Note from HRM Parent: Also check out our Playground Directory for more info.)

10.

This is the eggbeater at Caudle Park Elementary School. We haven’t come across anything similar. In case you’re wondering an adult can fit and give it a twirl.

9.

See-saws are few and far between in the playgrounds we’ve had an opportunity to visit. These ones located at Ocean View Elementary School, provide a vista on the harbour entrance and the Atlantic beyond – up and down with the waves.

8.

This is the Seussian covered bridge and bubble bay (on the flip side) at John W. MacLeod Fleming Tower Elementary School. A great little spot for an improptu disappearance followed by a back again taa-da in a bubble seconds later.

7.

Twin blue whale spring riders at Tallahassee Community School 1. When you’re taking two under fives to the playground, this is the perfect play piece – no ‘me first’, no quarrels, just fun.

6.

This is the fruitalicious climbing board at the toddler section of the DJ Butler Playground. This is a nicely designed spot for the toddlers that makes them feel like big kids.

5.

This is the beam me up Scotty tire climb at the DeWolfe Park Playground in Bedford. Adults – don’t try and climb up here unless you’re on the slim side.

4.

This is the retro monkey head slide-climber combo – a relic from the 60s or 70s at the St. Mary’s Boat Club Playground. I think it’s safe to say that this is a one of kind find in Halifax.

3.

 

This rollicking X-Wave² at Oxford Street Public School is a ride ‘em bronco treat that will leave you sproingin’ an achin’ for more.

2.

For small ones with a love for space this shuttle at the Morris Lake Road Playground with the Shearwater base on the horizon is a must. There was a time back in the 1960s when the space motif was a colossal presence in North American playgrounds. Now, not so much.

1.

Rounding off the list in the number 1 spot is a more familiar means of transportation. We’ve dubbed this one, located at Oxford Street Public School, the magic school bus. Our first time here it was a cracking hot day and the playground was chock-a-block full of kids and the bus was getting put through its paces. That day, we made the low, low budget short below. Our son Noah wanted to replicate on a subsequent visit. On that occasion we were alone but he had just as much of a blast on the bus.

Happy playgrounding….

All materials, unless otherwise attributed or credited, copyright ⓒ 2010 Alex Smith.

Registration is now open for Take Me Outside Week in Nova Scotia from September 20 to 26 at www.takemeoutsideweek.ca (available in both French and English). Take Me Outside Week is coordinated by Recreation Nova Scotia to support a growing "back to nature" movement as they invite more children and youth and their families out into the great outdoors.

Families and small groups can register the activities they plan to do during the event week. There are lots of ideas for activities on the website available here - good ideas that will no doubt be useful even if your family cannot participate in this week's activities. As well, there are lots of organized events to take part in across the province - check out the full list here.

By registering you qualify to win one of many great prizes, such as an annual family pass to Kejimkujik, an annual family pass to the Museum of Natural History, a $50 gift certificate to one of HRM's Adventure Earth Centre programs, plus lots more!

Organizations can also register their activities and events during the event week and access lots of ideas and resources on the website.

Follow Take Me Outside Week developments on: Facebook and Twitter.