The City of Round Rock on Saturday, April 25 opened Joanne Land Playground and a new tennis and pickleball complex, each located in Old Settlers Park, adding new places for residents to play, gather and stay active.
Mayor Craig Morgan and City Council members participated in each of the ceremonies, along with representatives from Miracle Recreation Playground Co. and We Build Fun Playground Co.
Children excitedly lined up and broke in Joanne Land Playground immediately after City leaders cut a ceremonial ribbon. The playground officially opened for the remainder of the evening, giving families a chance to climb, slide, swing and explore.
The namesake of the playground, longtime Round Rock City Secretary Joanne Land, was in attendance Saturday. Land was city secretary from 1970 to 2002, when Round Rock’s population grew from under 3,000 people to more than 60,000.
Round Rock City Council unanimously allocated funds in 2025 for the playground replacement project at Old Settlers Park. It was funded through $1.87 million in voter-approved 2023 general obligation (GO) bonds, includes modern safety and accessibility features, and is the largest playground in the city’s inventory.
The new playground was designed and installed by WeBuildFun, Inc., which installed the park’s original Joanne Land Playground in 2016. The lifecycle for a typical playground in Round Rock’s park system is approximately 15 years, but the previous playground was one of the most heavily used in Round Rock.
The playground is approximately twice the size of the original and includes integrated lighting, poured-in-place rubber surfacing, and plastic components designed to minimize heat absorption. This marked the first installation of this particular equipment, which will be included in the manufacturer’s catalogue.
The evening also marked the launch of Live at Lakeview, a new event series at the Lakeview Stage in Old Settlers Park. The first program included live music, a DJ set, food trucks, vendors and a performance by Virginia country artist Lucas John.
The celebration in Old Settlers Park began earlier that evening with ribbon-cutting ceremonies for new pickleball and tennis courts at the Round Rock Parks and Recreation Adult Recreation Complex, 3443 Aten Loop. The event continued at 7:30 p.m. with the grand opening of the playground near Lakeview Pavilion and Stage at 3300 E. Palm Valley Blvd.
The openings are part of the City’s 2023 voter-approved general obligation bond program and the ongoing buildout of Old Settlers Park. The tennis and pickleball project includes new courts, additional parking and related site improvements.
