WORCESTER, Mass. - Working for Worcester and a crew of volunteers transformed an empty parking lot at Columbus Park Elementary school into a state of the art playground. 

It’s something principal Kathy Martinelli says they've been trying to do for three years.

"This has been a long time coming. We have 386 kids out here and they're always looking for something to do. So this is going to provide them with a lot of activities and fun for the years to come,” Martinelli said.

Working For Worcester is a nonprofit which brings volunteers together annually for a "Build Day." This year. more than 200 volunteers visited 11 sites across Worcester to create and revitalize play and educational spaces.

Holy Cross seniors andWorking for Worcester Co-Executive Directors, Ian Williamson and Liam Busconi, say this year's Build Day helped to accomplish a goal they set back when they joined the group. They say it couldn't have come at a better time, as students are returning to full-time in-person classes.

"It's been a goal of ours to have every elementary school in Worcester to have a safe and functioning playground. McGrath and Columbus park were the last two schools to receive that,” said Williamson.

"It's something to cement the fact that they haven't been able to get back to school in over a year now for obvious reasons, but at the same time now coming back to the school there is something new and different there,” said Busconi.

The playground took four days to complete, and the group members say to see it now is a rewarding experience. 

"It was really cool just to see it all come together in the end. It was just a cement parking lot before we put it in and just to see it on Build Day all put together up at the end and knowing the children were going to absolutely love it on Monday morning. And even now, it's just such an amazing feeling,” said Danielle Bonistalli, co-director of site development.