MECHANICSBURG, Pa. (WHTM) — Removing blight and enhancing community spaces – that's the mission behind new outdoor projects happening in part of Cumberland County.

"It used to be an old dusty divot that had a fence around it," said Zakarya Abdullah of Mechanicsburg. "It was the ugliest thing in the world and now it's like it's crazy that it's all gone. But, hey, I don't mind it."

Abdulla says he lives near the new community park located on West Portland Street in the borough.

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"It's probably one of the best things I've seen in in town by far," Abdulla told abc27 News. "Some of the places around here, it gets a little bland. And I think places like these bird sanctuaries, or you could just spice this place up."

Mechanicsburg borough officials are responsible for these improvements.

"So back in March of 2023, we applied for a grant through the Cumberland County Housing and Redevelopment Authority to turn this space from what was a sinkhole in the ground with barbed wire fencing surrounding it into a community park," said Luke Arnold, the Environmental Programs Coordinator in Mechanicsburg borough.

Arnold told abc27 News, they were approved for a $110,000 grant and spent every dime on this project.

"We filled the entire area into a park and integrated it," added Arnold. "We added new storms. See where piping to keep and maintain the stormwater management aspect of it. We also added grass seating, different native flowering grass for like the inside of the basin. Trees, benches. We're going to add some birdhouses and things later to continue to hands to space."

Arnold says there's more of these community spaces to come.

"This is really one step in our continue growth as the borough continues to add green spaces, continuing to enhance conservation and environmental programs in the borough," said Arnold. "So, this is just step one"

Arnold told abc27 News, they recently received an $80,000 grant through the Redevelopment Authority for a similar project located on the corner of Walnut and Factory Street in Mechanicsburg.