Penn Park Master Plan
Location: City of York, Pennsylvania
Client: York County Community Foundation
JMT helped develop a master plan for the revitalization of a
15-acre downtown park.
York's first great park, "The Commons," as it was known, was a
meeting ground that was considered part of a thriving downtown. Now
known as Penn Park, it remains an instrumental factor in providing
stability to the surrounding neighborhoods. Our client requested
that JMT help complete a master plan to guide the enhancements,
rehabilitation and future development of the 15-acre site for
public recreation purposes. Additionally, the master planning
process explored the history and heritage of the park to further
define the significance of "The Commons."
JMT staff quickly established strong relationships with our
client and the City of York. This allowed us to
collaboratively develop creative, efficient and effective
strategies to operate, manage, maintain and program Penn Park. JMT
utilized innovative public participation programs to gain an
understanding of the communities' thoughts and concerns pertaining
to the overall park operations, including soliciting input from
students who attended the high school located adjacent to the park.
Specifically, JMT's commitment to student involvement in the design
and development of this master plan exposed students to real world
challenges and developed a greater sense of community
involvement.
As a result of this planning process, a significant project
partner emerged to begin work on implementation of the master plan.
JMT is currently working with the YMCA and the City of York to
develop a signature playground for the park that is to be comprised
of more than just traditional simple play structures. The park's
historical aspects, and the available classroom resources in the
immediate vicinity, make this a viable site for a unique
interpretive play area that can extend learning opportunities
beyond the classroom.
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