Following a fundraising campaign that raised close to $400,000 and half a year’s worth of renovations, the city of Round Rock reopened Play for All Park for activities Nov. 17. “It’s been very well received – people are getting used to the additions,” said David Buzzell, assistant director of Round Rock Parks and Recreation. Play for All Park more than doubled in size due to the expansion and renovation process and has added three new play spaces for visitors. The park additionally expanded four of its existing structures and play spaces in the renovation process. The playground, which accommodates special-needs children through diverse equipment and environments, closed for renovations and expansion shortly after Labor Day. Renovations began with approximately $1M of private cash donations and in-kind donations, which are comprised of time and labor donations, equipment donations and more. According to the Round Rock Parks and Recreation Department, the park now features the bike riding area Nyle Maxwell Family of Dealerships Speedway, the wheelchair accessible Nolan Ryan Foundation Train Pod and Adventure Hill – a play area with two zip lines, including a wheelchair accessible bucket seat. The Play for All Park also renovated its swing section to include all-ability swings, and the city built the Mason’s Monkey Ranch Nature free play area. “[Mason’s Monkey Ranch] has rocks, stick and logs so kids can go play in nature in its rawest form,” Buzzell said. Expansion on the park also included additional restroom facilities, additional parking for cars, an expanded picnic area and a Rock Band space. The city also expanded the Village Pod section of the park to include a pretend drive-thru Chik-Fil-A restaurant, a bike rack and a car wash that features a water mister on warm weather days. In all, Play for All Park underwent $2.25M in renovations since March. The city was able to secure a number of sponsorships to help fund the park renovations, all of which had to be approved by Round Rock City Council before completion of the park. Since the park opened back up, Buzzell commented that he has seen the expanded parking lot occupied to near capacity and the parks and recreation official estimated that 500 people were spending time at Play for All Park on the Tuesday afternoon before Thanksgiving. “Because we did have to close the park down, it has been nice to see or hear about the level of excitement to reopen it,” Buzzell said. “The amount of those memories and positive experiences that families and kids are having out at the park, just the pure excitement around it, is probably the key thing I pick up on.”