It had been years since I last walked around City Island, but I have vivid memories of what it used…read moreto feel like -- beautiful, lively, full of people walking, biking, walking their dogs, and enjoying a well-maintained playground and open spaces. Returning recently felt less like revisiting an old favorite and more like realizing how much something you care about has changed... and not for the better.
The disappointment started as soon as I pulled into the parking lot. Deep potholes, chunks of scraped-up blacktop piled near the stairs, and metal crowd-control barriers scattered throughout the lot gave an immediate sense that things weren't quite right. I fully understand that it's winter in Central PA -- snow, salt, and weather take their toll -- so I wasn't expecting perfection. But this felt like more than seasonal wear and tear. It felt like neglect.
Aside from the stadium -- which stands tall, clean, and well-maintained even in the middle of winter -- much of the rest of the island looks forgotten. And this isn't just a "winter off-season" issue. The more I walked, the more signs of long-term neglect became clear: peeling paint, rusting structures, broken or deteriorating features that appear to have been left untouched for years. What started as mild disappointment turned into genuine sadness as I compared what I was seeing to photos I have from visits many years ago, when the island felt welcoming, cared for, and full of pride.
As a Central PA native, it's difficult to see such a beautiful and potentially vibrant space in this condition -- especially one that represents our state's capital to visitors. City Island should be a showcase destination, and right now it feels like a missed opportunity.
There seem to be so many possibilities for community involvement -- volunteer projects, partnerships with local organizations, youth programs -- to help restore and maintain the island. For whatever reason, it doesn't appear that those efforts are happening, and that's disappointing.
The views of the river and the city skyline remain beautiful, as always -- as long as you keep your focus outward rather than on the island itself.
I truly hope to see City Island revived and restored to the welcoming, vibrant place I remember.