This Blaxland Riverside Park is in a word, fabulous. Every time I see extraordinary playgrounds like these around the world, I wonder why we can’t have one as amazing in New York. Designed by JMD Design of Sydney, the 20,500 square meter park opened this summer and operates under the Sydney Olympic Park Authority. JMD Design wanted to avoid the fenced-in, overly structure-based approach of many kids’ outdoor parks. They worked with, rather than against the earth forms of cones, cuts and terraces, established earlier at this site, and created a free-flowing, open play area with surprises and distinctive activity points. It’s open from sunset to sunrise every day of the year. Well, we know where we are going if we ever make it to Sydney.