FORT WORTH, Texas — On a Fridays like this week's, you can expect to see strollers, squirrels and sunshine at Fort Worth's Trinity Park.
"It's so nice our here," said Nicholas Perez, who was playing basketball Friday.
But these days there's something else catching people's eyes: big, bright, bold changes to a century-old park.
"It's definitely going to be the crown jewel of our playgrounds in the city of Fort Worth," said Richard Zavala, head of the Parks and Recreation Department.
That playground is one of the changes you might have noticed on a recent run. It's called "Fort Worth Dream Park." It's a playground, preparing to open April 15, that caters to children of all abilities.
"This is a poured in place surface, it addresses accessibility," Zavala said.
It's a sensory-rich environment that boasts equipment and surfaces that go above and beyond ADA guidelines.
And just down the trail, something else might stop you in your tracks: a basketball court painted in bright colors and shapes.
Recently, WFAA photographer Arnold Payne happened upon a group painting over the aged basketball courts. Pinks and purples and blues and yellows now cover up the peeling paint.
"On the trails, hundreds of people pass every day and they're very curious and very happy to see changes like this," mural artist Arnoldo Hurtado said. "Vibrancy does change the attitude and the atmosphere and the feel of a city."
The best part, Zavala said, is that all of these improvements are privately funded – even the new stone structures that were built around the portable restrooms.
He said they are philanthropic-minded people who are about our city and want to make it better.
"People giving of themselves for the good of the community," Zavala said.
And making a difference.
"Bright colors, bright people, right?" Perez said.