This isn't a solution to a lack of child care but it's a good program that the city runs over the summer to ameliorate some of the pain of summer.

At most parks any child can get a free nutritious lunch at no charge from 12-1 at no charge. There will be some kind of sandwich, fruit vegetables, milk and a yogurt. It not only gets kids a healthy meal but they usually stay and get some exercise in the park.

They could means test it and save some money but they don't. I think not means testing it removes the stigma of a handout, encourages active outdoor play for all children and gets kids (and parents) from different backgrounds to mix and socialize.

I know the city also subsidizes day camp for needy families but I don't know much about that side of things. All the pools have free swimming times, swimming lessons are subsidized for the poor. The free programs habituate park usage, helps get more out of it as a public good by encouraging return trips.

Our parks are amazing. I'm 1 mile away from a large park with huge trees, a nice playground, a splash pad (basically a playground with a sprinkler) a large pool and ball fields.

2 miles from a park with an outdoor pool, skate park, disc golf course, playground and nature area.

Two and a half miles from another great park which sits beneath Portlands most attractive bridge.

There are about 7 parks between these standout parks, most of them will have free lunches available (which is kind of besides my point now I guess). The other seven parks aren't near as nice, spattering of ball fields, basketball courts, bit of playground equipment but they are mostly pleasant open spaces.

There are all kinds of other dope parks, this is just what I have in my little neck of the woods. There is a 5000+ acres park that runs along the Willamette river, some crazy fun pools, awesome play structures, gardens, river esplanades and more scattered across the city.

It's a Libertarians nightmare, wish they would come to accept it and move to somewhere with no public spaces and less public goods. It costs. A large portion of the funds come from special votes not the general fund. People with kids disproportionately benefit from the park system but people with kids tend not to have as much money as those who don't.

Library system is damn fine as well.

Downside to all these fine public goods is that the working class families who helped build all this largess up are rapidly getting pushed out of town. There will be less need for free lunches when the town settles into being a retirement home for wealthy people.