Parques y juegos

The city skatepark near Vieux-Saint-Jean, open every day from 7 a.m. to 11 p.m. Skateboards, BMX bikes, scooters and inline skates are allowed, and a helmet is required for everyone. Children under 10 should come with an adult. Free.

A neighbourhood sliding hill on rue Labrèche, open in winter when there is enough snow. There is no staff or service on site, so bring your own sled and keep an eye on the children. Free.

A park in the L'Acadie sector with a heated chalet, a boarded rink and a free skating area in winter, when the weather allows. In summer the splash pad runs from late May to late September, 9 a.m. to 9 p.m. Free and open to everyone.

A skatepark in Parc John-H.-Molson, Saint-Sauveur's municipal park with sports fields and water play. Free to use in the warm season.

A riverside city park behind Joliette's cathedral with play areas for ages 18 months to 5 and 5 to 12, soccer and volleyball, and an exercise course. Free to use; the municipal pool and boat rentals have their own fees and seasons.

A city park on the shore of Lac Boivin in Granby with play modules, volleyball courts and water games. It is a free public park; boat rentals in summer are paid.

Parc Les Salines has a playground, picnic areas with barbecues and a beach volleyball court in a big natural setting. The park is open all year and free for everyone.

A city park in Nicolet with skateboard modules (open 7 am to 11 pm, protective gear required), an outdoor rink in winter and a Croque-livres book sharing box. The park is open at all times and the City of Nicolet lists no fee for its use. A good spot for kids and teens in every season.

A small hidden gem in Nicolet: the Remise-O-Jeux at Parc Thérèse-Boisvert-Allard is a shed of outdoor game equipment that anyone can borrow for free. The City of Nicolet says the equipment is free for the whole population, available every day from 9 am to 9 pm. The park also has a Croque-livres book sharing box, and you can donate equipment in good condition at the sports centre.

A gnome themed circuit inside Parc écologique Godefroy in Bécancour's Saint-Grégoire sector, with gnome themed park furniture and washrooms nearby. It is partly lit in the evening in winter, which makes it a fun short outing with young children. Access to Parc écologique Godefroy is free, according to Tourisme Bécancour.

A city dog exercise area (aire d'exercice canin) at Parc multisport Réal-Dufresne in the Shawinigan-Sud sector, at 129e Rue and 110e Avenue. Open every day from 7 am to 11 pm. It is a public city park space with no fee listed by the city. The same park also has tennis, basketball and a skate park.

A riverside park at the end of the Promenade du Saint-Maurice in downtown Shawinigan, with play structures, a water play area in summer, pétanque and tennis courts. The city lists its tennis courts as free for open play when they are not reserved, and the park is free to enjoy all year. Children 9 and under at the water play area need a supervisor aged 15 or older.