The Plano Rotary Club presented a $25,000 check to the city of Plano as an investment in playground equipment for disabled children at the improved Jack Carter Park and pool.[/caption]

The Plano Rotary Club presented city of Plano officials with a $25,000 donation on June 16 to pay for the construction of an inclusive, all-abilities playground at Jack Carter Park. The playground will include experiences that involve movement and climbing as well as a mix of tactile, visual and auditory features.

The new playground is scheduled to open next spring and will be located at the site of the old Jack Carter outdoor pool, 2601 Maumelle Drive. The park's new pool, which relocated to nearby 2601 Pleasant Valley Drive, is expected to open July 9.

"The rotary club donation allows us to add more funding to the playground, which has enabled us to take it beyond a typical neighborhood park playground and provide unique equipment that is specifically designed for children with special needs," said Robin Reeves, assistant director of the Plano Parks and Recreation Department. "Without the additional funding it would have been difficult for us to provide this type of equipment within the project budget."

The park donation also helped mark the Plano Rotary Club's 70th anniversary. The club, which was started by a group of local businessmen, contributes more than $50,000 each year to local charities, scholarships and nonprofit organizations, according to the club's website.

Nearly two dozen parks and recreation bond projects have been underway in Plano over the past year, thanks in part to a strengthened economy, according to parks and recreation officials. These projects, which date as far back as the 2005 bond election, will continue over the next year and include funding for a skate park at Jack Carter Park as well as an expanded natatorium at Carpenter Recreation Center.

For information about the city of Plano's parks and recreation bond projects click here.