Partnership Park is getting new features that may help it draw a bigger crowd.

The neighborhood park at Mason and Williams streets is getting cooking grills, concrete chess tables and a drum circle — real musical instruments people can play — as well as a new wrought iron fence, rubberized mulch and landscaping.

The park has a play structure and picnic shelter now and is popular with children from the neighborhood and nearby daycare centers.

Jon Hart, community organizer for Partnership Park with the Community Action Agency, said the new features should broaden the park's appeal.

"It will be a nice place for kids and families to interact," Hart said. "It will kind of reinvigorate the place."

A $54,000 grant through the agency is paying for the equipment. About 20 residents, some of whom helped build the park 15 years ago, are doing much of the work. 

Ann Young, who was digging out old mulch on a recent morning, said the nicer the park looks and the more it offers, the more people will use it.

"It helps the community," Young said.

The work began last week, and most of it is expected to be completed this week.

Anna Ball, who was taking a break while her stepson Eric Ball kept digging, said it may be "men's work," but she is doing what she can to help.

"It just needs a lot more people to be involved and be on the lookout," Anna Ball said.

Residents said people have been crawling under or climbing over the fence at night and damaging the park.

Linda and Terry Foster, who live across the street, said repairing the retaining wall and putting up the new fence should end incidents like that. They said they plan to keep an eye on the park.

"I'm hoping when they lock it up, it will be OK," Linda Foster said.