SoHay Park — Hayward

Gated playground. Par course gym. All the climbing you could hope and dream for. This and more to be found at this NEW Hayward park!

We’ve been to this place a couple of times but had no idea what the name was so there it sat (with the 40 other posts I've yet to make). Today I took Mission back from Fremont and there was the Hayward Rec sign in all its glory “SoHay Park”. Because of its location near townhomes, I was assuming it would be HOA but after I poked my head in the leasing office & asked the poor employee 1,653 questions, I learned it would be public & they were just waiting for it to officially open (same. 🙋🏼‍♀️)

From Mission, it looks closed with a huge chain link all around (honestly, I hope they keep the fence. The play area is far too close to such a busy road for there to be nothing). To get in you have to enter at the roundabout on Hub Ln or on Dixon St.

There are two play areas, picnic tables, a half basketball court, and a dog park. I particularly liked how the sidewalks connecting it all had large capitalized words like LAUGH PLAY EXPLORE and so many others. The play area closest to Mission is categorized as a par course fitness gym but that just reads “fun playground” to me. There’s really a lot packed into a little space: a ropes obstacle, curved balance beam, angled half walls, verticals half walls, tunnels, rock wall, monkey bars. Every time I look at the pictures I see something new. The flooring is padded artificial turf so if your kiddo (or you) slip you have a cushioned surface to catch you. Near this play area are the half basketball court, picnic areas, and dog park.

Following the path along the creek (don’t forget to check out the bridge) will lead you to the other, and properly gated, play area. There’s a lot to do in this play area especially if your kiddo likes to climb! There are monkey bars, suspended Lily pads, balance beam, climbing walls connected with rope webs, a giant climbing rope star, a climbing rope arch, a spinning cup, a spinning dome, and plenty of uneven wall for hoping and jumping if all the climbing gets “boring”. The flooring is mostly wood chips with a small section of artificial turf.

No bathrooms. Street parking.