Those who grew up in the 1970s and ‘80s in Jerusalem fondly recall the Gilo Park as a sprawling assortment of wooden jungle gyms, slides, rickety bridges, rope ladders, and tire-tunnels - all set up in a forest among the pine trees, making it a veritable Never-Never Land for the under-10 crowd. The times and safety regulations have changed, however, and in recent years, the Municipality, deeming the park potentially dangerous, have done away with the old playground equipment, replacing it with modern installations.
There’s also a basketball court and a roller-blading path, and the slopes of the forest provide the more experienced mountain-biking crowd with some challenging routes. It seems that the only things that haven’t changed are the many picnic tables, and the trees, of course. But to be honest, although some 30-somethings may be struck by the feeling that they’ve been cheated out of a fundamental childhood memory, when they visit the park, their kids will never know the difference.
