Reston Association is throwing a popsicle party to mark the return of the Old Trail playground.
The renovated playground on Stevenage Road will officially reopen with a neighborhood celebration on Tuesday, July 14, from 6 to 7 p.m. Families can grab free popsicles and check out the new play equipment, which includes a swing set, according to RA's community engagement page.
The event is free and open to all Reston residents.
Old Trail is the first of five aging play spaces to be rebuilt under RA's multi-year capital improvement effort. The association posted progress photos on Instagram in March showing the site "taking shape," with construction wrapping up ahead of the summer celebration.
Four more playgrounds in the pipeline
RA's renovation push doesn't stop at Old Trail. As of June 4, the association had received designs for four additional playgrounds: Purple Beech, Colt's Brook, Sanibel and Hunting Horn. Staff modified the Purple Beech layout and plan to present all four designs to RA's Design Review Board for approval.
The broader playground equipment replacement program is budgeted at $200,000 per year through 2033 under RA's 2026–2035 Capital Improvement Plan, which totals $17.3 million over the decade. RA's Board of Directors was told to expect a contract for the five playgrounds in June or July, according to CIP documents from a May 27 board packet.
The design phase for the remaining playgrounds carries an expected completion date of December.
Two new playgrounds on one street
Old Trail's reopening comes weeks after a separate project on the same street wrapped up. Reston North Park, the Fairfax County Park Authority site at 11760 Stevenage Road that neighbors call the "Home Depot Playground," held its ribbon-cutting in June after a $1.8 million renovation funded by county park bonds.
The two projects are unrelated, one managed by RA, the other by the county, but together they give Stevenage Road families two freshly rebuilt playgrounds within walking distance.
How to attend
Head to Old Trail playground on Stevenage Road on Tuesday, July 14, between 6 and 7 p.m. No registration is required. Popsicles are free while supplies last.
Upcoming community dates
- Tuesday, July 14 — Old Trail Popsicle Playground Celebration, 6–7 p.m., Stevenage Road
- December 2026 (estimated) — Design phase completion for Purple Beech, Colt's Brook, Sanibel, and Hunting Horn playgrounds
