Jimmy Melrose Park

Titles adhere to a fickle system, one which adheres to a fickle language. I wouldn’t call this strip a ‘park’. I’d called it Jimmy Melrose Stretch, maybe. Or The Melrose Narrow. But I’m not in the business of naming things, I’m in the business of reviewing things. And what have I got to say about this so called, ‘park’?
I brought a little one with me. Not mine — I don’t have any. He’s my godfather’s. And, honestly, I didn’t even know he could walk all that well when I brought him. I thought he’d sit idly beside me, eating some grass, whilst I sat down with my Moleskine and got on my reviewer hat.
Well, as it turns out, little Gian can walk. Not only can he walk, but he can run. Almost faster than me. Sometimes, as I chased after him down this infernal length of grass, my gut told me the only way I’d catch him is if I leaped on top of him. But, the child not belonging me, I had to keep reminding me how very inappropriate a spear-​tackle might be. Then I had to remind myself that even if the kid WAS mine, such a maneuver would be no less… faux pas.
So, my lesson? The less grass in a park, the better. A kid often sees the grass as his boundary, and when the grass stretches on forever, be prepared to get your exercise hat on.

Jimmy Melrose Park refers to a narrow strip of grassed foreshore that stretches from Moseley Square to Pier Street. The grass is beautifully kept, glossy green, even in the height of summer when other parks go an insipid yellow. It is a nice place to sit or have a picnic as it is a little bit away from Glenelg central and it is beautifully lined by mature Norfolk Pine trees which offer shade when the sun is at certain angles. The only downside of an outside meal or get together here is that most of Glenelg is a dry zone so alcohol is banned. The park itself, is named after a young Australian pioneer aviator who died at a young age.
The houses that line the park to the East are an interesting mix of old and new. There are some magnificent beachside mansions, some that have been rennovated and others that have been turned into tawdry seaside apartments. An interesting sight for children and some adults even, is the large shark head outside Seawall apartments that visitors like to use as a photo opportunity. The whole area has been decorated (not all that tastefully) with sea themed knick knacks and objects such as nets and boats, the upside is that the kids love it.