CONTACT: City of Harrisburg Parks & Recreation
(717) 255-3003
HARRISBURG — The City of Harrisburg’s parks and playgrounds are getting a makeover, and we need your help on how they will look for the next generation.
The Department of Parks and Recreation plans to host an online webinar on Monday, August 21 to update the status of its redesign for 7th & Radnor Park, Gorgas Playground, Wilson Park, and portions of Reservoir Park. The project team hosted three public picnic meetings in July to show the community where the designs stood at 30% completion. The Monday, August 21 webinar, hosted over Microsoft Teams, will highlight the project at 60% finished. Three additional public picnics will take place in Sept. 15-17 to go over the project at 90% designed.
Information on how to register and log in to Monday’s webinar is listed at the bottom of this article.
In October 2022, The City of Harrisburg received $13,005,733 in grant money from the Pennsylvania Department of Community and Economic Development and Community Development Block Grant (CDBG)-CARES Act funding, which is designed to support community improvements meant to enhance the quality of life for residents. Because the grant comes from CARES Act funding, the city had to show why improvements were needed as related to the COVID-19 pandemic.
“The pandemic highlighted not only how much our residents wanted to use our parks, but how much those parks desperately needed improvements,” said Mayor Wanda R.D. Williams.
The Department of Parks and Recreation decided to focus the attention on parks it felt needed the most immediate work based off how often they are used and the quality of current equipment. In April, project leaders started three-month public comment period where 497 people filled out surveys which detailed what they wanted to see in their parks and playgrounds.
Among the changes being discussed at 7th & Radnor and Gorgas Playground include: new bleachers, press box, concession stand, stadium lighting, multi-purpose courts, field restoration, new play equipment, new landscraping; at Wilson Playground: new lighting, basketball and volleyball courts, stormwater infrastructure, connectivity to Greenbelt walking trails; and at Reservoir Park: spray park, stormwater infrastructure, new restrooms and pavilions, water play features, and increased lighting.
In addition, increased ADA accessibility will be at the forefront of all decisions.
Projects are slated for completion by the end of 2024.
“These parks will look nothing like they do now once we’re done with them,” said Parks and Recreation Director Dave Baker. “We’re going to undergo a complete rehabilitation to bring them up to modern requirements and expectations for what our residents deserve.”
To register for the webinar, please visit
Thank you.
Best regards,
Harrisburg Parks and Recreation Project Management Team
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