Musser Park was in the spotlight Monday night — literally and figuratively.

To mark the end of the first phase of a major revitalization project, Musser Park Civic Association invited friends and neighbors to celebrate the small city park's rebirth with a brief ceremony on the steps of Lancaster Museum of Art, nestled in a corner of the park.

The evening also was the official unveiling of new "uplights" installed around the bases of about 25 trees in and around the park.

"Tonight really is about sharing the progress and success with everyone who contributed financially to make this happen," MPCA president David Aichele said. "This is the result of much hard work and effort by a lot of people, and this is our way of saying thank you."

Renovations to the park, in the 200 block of East Chestnut Street, which so far cost $600,000, include new walkways, fencing, a new playground surface and concrete-and-stone game tables.

In addition to the uplights, new pole lights installed along the walkway help illuminate the park.

"The uplighting, although it does provide added security, was installed primarily for aesthetic purposes," MPCA secretary Dave Greiner said. "It adds dazzle."

Trees are lit by trios of in-ground spotlights, angled up for a showcasing effect. Greiner said the uplights are controlled by timers and should not be a nuisance to neighboring homes.

"We certainly don't mind it," Peggy Goff of the 200 block of East Marion Street said. "In fact, we love it. We feel safer with the additional lighting. Plus, it adds to the atmosphere. It's beautiful, really."

Goff, who has lived with her husband, Joe, directly behind the park for 15 years, said she has enjoyed watching the park come to life again over the past few years.

"I'm retired, and I spend a lot of time just watching," she said. "Watching the kids play, watching people walk their dogs — that's what the park is for, and I think it's wonderful that it's being taken care of in this way. I'm very proud."

Anthony Maglietta, owner of Molly's Pub in the 200 block of East Chestnut Street and a resident of the 100 block of North Shippen Street, said the lights will provide an extra sense of security for the neighborhood.

"I've noticed quite a bit of activity in the park, and it's definitely a benefit to light up the area as much as we can," Maglietta said at the ceremony. "Most of my business is foot traffic, and I'm in favor of anything that can make the area safer for my customers."

Future park projects include landscaping and the installation of benches.

During the ceremony, Lancaster Mayor Rick Gray commended the park group and neighbors for their dedication to "a very special place."

"The people who put the time, effort and funding into this deserve an awful lot of credit," he said. "You took a jewel and polished it in such a way. … We're very lucky to be here tonight."

Gray also made a deal with park supporters.

"If you can come up with some of the money for benches, the city will find a way to get the rest," he said to raucous applause. "An old guy like me needs a place to sit."

Greiner said plans to renovate the park began in 1999, but it would be nearly seven years before work could begin.

"Raising money was slow in the beginning," he said. "We got frustrated and at times didn't know if we were going to be able to see this come to fruition. But then, boom, things turned around, and it just snowballed. After that, we didn't look back."

Part of the reason for the "boom," Greiner said, was a $200,000 grant from Lancaster city. With that seed money, the group found it easier to solicit donations, he said.

"With the exception of that grant, this project was funded by the neighborhood," Greiner said. "Whether it was $10 or $100, every little bit went into what we see here today. This really was a project of the people."

E-mail: jtodd@lnpnews.com