Peter Simone of Simone Landscape Architecture had filled this wall with more than 40 ideas from the community.
A telescope, mounted high above the city in Reservoir Park, would give city youth a different perspective on life—perhaps one more expansive than their lives in the compact neighborhoods that sit just below the hill.
So said Anwar Curtis, a paraprofessional with Premier Arts and Sciences Charter School and a founder of the Harrisburg Music Festival, which takes place in the park.
“The sky is the limit for our children,” he said.
Indeed, the sky was the limit at Tuesday’s brainstorming session for Reservoir Park, the first of four public meetings to develop a “Master Plan” to improve the park. More than 60 park neighbors, community leaders and Harrisburg residents met at the Kappa Omega Chapter Building on State Street to share their visions.
Ed Black of H. Edward Black & Associates, the firm leading the project, kicked off the meeting.
“We truly want your input,” he said.
And residents happily complied. By the end of the two-hour meeting, Peter Simone of Simone Landscape Architecture had filled a wall with more than 40 ideas from the community.
Last year, the state Department of Conservation and Natural Resources awarded a $50,000 matching grant to fund the creation of a master site plan. The city used $50,000 from a 2014 community development grant to match the funds.
The city hired H. Edward Black & Associates, Simone Landscape Architecture, Urban Partners and certified parks and recreation practitioner Patrick Stasio to help produce the master plan.
Most of all, attendees expressed a need for better infrastructure such as trashcans, restrooms, bike racks and benches.
Residents said litter was a problem in the park.
A neighbor of the park, Pete Baltimore, said he walks his dog daily and brings two trash bags: one for his pet and one for litter. He added that he only sees one trash can while on his walks, which leads to litter.
Other park elements, like public bathrooms, should be better maintained, residents agreed. Several suggested partnering with corporations or other sponsors to support the maintenance of historic fountains, which no longer function.
Others advocated for more open-air music in the park and brought up the success of past summer reggae festivals in the bandshell. They suggested using the Levitt Performing Arts Pavilion for a D.J., the Harrisburg Symphony Orchestra and other outdoor concerts. The need for free events also came up.
The Levitt Performing Arts Pavilion.
“If you don’t have any money, you should be able to go and do something,” said Ben Stokes, a park neighbor.
A few residents said they felt disconnected to the Civil War Museum, which sits atop the park and costs $12 for an adult to enter.
Several people emphasized that the park should engage children and teens. A mini water park, an ice skating rink, a skateboarding park, climbing wall and outdoor movie nights all would interest youth, they said. Someone even threw out the idea of having a zip line.
“No one knows how to think of the park as a place to constructively play there,” one woman said.
Another resident suggested that teenagers should have opportunities to volunteer as park rangers.
The park features two playgrounds.
The park has potential for more recreational sports opportunities. Members of the YMCA’s Hope in Handball group advocated for building handball facilities. Others suggested installing soccer and football fields. Some recommended that marathons and road races could pass through Reservoir Park and introduce more people to the area.
Even on this first brainstorming session, residents brought up the ever-persistent question of funding.
“We want to shoot high so we come up with a plan that works” Simone said. “Then we can find partners with funding who can help move this forward.”
Getting involved
Even if you missed the first meeting, there are several other opportunities for you to weigh in on the future of Reservoir Park:
Take an online survey:
https://www.surveymonkey.com/r/ReservoirPark
Mark your calendar for public meetings:
December 7, 6 to 8 p.m., location TBD
April 26, location and time TBD
July 19, location and time TBD
For more information, including dates for focus groups and study committee meetings, see the city’s website:
https://harrisburgpa.gov/Reservoirplan/
Author: Danielle Roth
