Area of Riverfront Park where CRW will make green infrastructure improvements.
Harrisburg is known for its green riverfront—but could it be even greener?
Capital Region Water believes it could be and will solicit community input on future updates to a portion of Riverfront Park at an event later this month.
The water and sewer utility has plans to add green stormwater infrastructure to the park as part of its City Beautiful H2O project, aimed at reducing water runoff pollution entering local waterways. The effort will focus on the wide section of the park between the areas of UPMC Hospital and the railroad bridge in Shipoke.
“The City Beautiful movement itself is a movement that tied huge investments in infrastructure with public and civic space,” said Claire Maulhardt, stormwater utility director. “So, Riverfront Park has always been identified as an opportunity for implementing additional infrastructure.”
The green line outlines CRW’s Riverfront Park project site. Screenshot from CRW’s website.
The project, which is in the preliminary stage, will add both green upgrades that park users will notice, as well as underground infrastructure like stormwater storage. The project will help limit water runoff pollution into the Susquehanna River and Paxton Creek and will help prevent flooding downtown.
Most notably, CRW will construct rain gardens, depressed garden areas that collect rainfall and stormwater runoff. The trail location through the park will also likely change.
Maulhardt explained that CRW plans to keep sufficient designated green space to be used for summer concerts and events, which the park area is often used for.
“We want to enhance it to actually help it even function a whole lot better for events because things are laid out properly to make those activities happen with ease,” she said.
Historic monuments and a burial site in the area will also be preserved.
However, the actual design of the area—the layout of the trail, the shape of the rain gardens, the tree planting and the safety elements—is up for discussion, as CRW hopes to engage the community in the planning process.
The organization will host an open house event in Riverfront Park, near N. Front and Washington streets, on May 21, from 4:30 to 6:30 p.m. Community members are invited to attend to view preliminary concepts and share their thoughts.
CRW then plans to encourage feedback and bring the community a more finalized plan in September. It expects to complete a final design in the fall and potentially begin implementation in the spring of 2026.
Maulhardt said that there may be additional phases of park improvement, as well, as CRW works with the city, Dauphin County, the Capital Area Greenbelt Association, neighborhood groups and other stakeholders.
CRW estimates that the project will cost around $6 million. For the project, they have received a $1 million grant from the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service.
CRW has already begun gathering stakeholder input, and the public can comment on the function and design of Riverfront Park, here.
For more information, visit Capital Region Water’s website.
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