Dieppe’s Hidden Pirate Ship (Amand) Playground

I have no idea what this space is officially called but it’s beautiful! (Okay, I do think it’s Dieppe’s Amand Park, but I’m only ever going to call it the Hidden Pirate Ship Playground in my head.)

Local rock star (I don’t use that term lightly; he’s bona fide!) Chris Colepaugh told me about this gem years ago … but it took me ages to search up satellite images & actually find it!

This little pirate ship is best noticed from the beautiful walking/biking trail that connects Riverview, Moncton, & Dieppe. For those like me who are driving around in a minivan, you can find an entrance off Benonie Court, which is a short street off Amand Crescent (just off Amirault, near Our Lady of Calvary Cemetery). Here’s what that entrance looks like, so you’ll know you’re in the right spot!

If you’re looking for a small adventure, park at the trail entrance off Amirault just past Home Hardware & make it an adventure to arrive here! That route looks to be about 1km to 1.5km. The walk/bike will be short & interesting enough for little ones. And the surprise of this ship appearing on the horizon will be worth any complaints that might arise!

The space only has the one pirate ship structure, two toddler climbers (dinosaur & a whale), and four swings (one was an infant seat when we visited). But even my older kiddos were happy to play here for the better part of an hour!

It’s a large green space with a shelter, a nice breeze, and incredible views of the marsh (and Riverview).

You’ll also see a few planes overhead – and if you’re here in June, look for wild strawberries! We also observed a lot of ducks and other birds,  as well as many flowers & trees to admire.

There is a lovely area that would be amazing for family or group photos. I hope someone who knows more about this instalment will chime in with details of its origin below.

The land in this area was known as Bis Marsh, obtained by grant in 1789 by Francois LeBlanc and traded to his nephew, Jean ‘Bis’ LeBlanc in 1808. Next to the plague with this information is a washroom & another entrance via Rue Louis.

This is by far one of my favourite playground discoveries yet! It was almost as cool to walk into as the other ‘hidden playground’ we profiled in Dieppe!