If you spend your summer days at the parks in Marion, you may have noticed some improvements over the past few years.

The Marion Department of Recreation has been hard at work making changes at the playground at the site of the former Point Road School, at Washburn Park and the Holmes Woods trails.

At the Point Road School site, the town used Community Preservation funds to replace an old chain-link fence with a black wrought iron fence.

"It's part of a beautification process," department head Jody Dickerson said. "We're also going to do some landscaping."

The playground was also given an upgrade, and the basketball courts were repainted, the lights were repaired and a four-square court was added.

Washburn Park has also seen some improvements over the past few years.

The town put in a picnic area, a new playground and an improved restroom and storage area. That building was repainted, a new roof was put on, cedar shingles were installed on the side and a garage door was put in to make storing equipment easier.

The dugouts at the baseball field were also repainted and given new roofs, and the town has made sure that the seven baseball fields at the park are always maintained.

"I really think Washburn Park is the gem of the town," Dickerson said. "It just needs a little polishing."

The town is also making improvements to Silvershell Beach and the Holmes Woods trails that run from the police station to Sippican School.

At Silvershell, there are plans to repaint the basketball court in the coming weeks, once usage of the beach dies down a little.

The department is also planning on applying for more CPC funds to improve the playground at Silvershell.

Holmes Woods trails are also being improved. The property, donated to the town from Barnabas Holmes in 1898 for passive recreation, has become overgrown, Dickerson said.

After Hurricane Bob in 1991, the pathway was no longer maintained, but Dickerson said the department is working on clearing the paths and the old stone fireplace for residents to enjoy.

"It's a great walking area, it has a lot of little paths," he said.