A $1.7 million improvement plan aimed at improving pathways, trees, entrances and other infrastructure inside Dorchester Park will begin early next month, according to officials from the city’s Parks Department.

The project has been in the planning stage since 2022, a period that included a series of community meetings through September 2024. Kezia Ofiesh, the project manager, said that contractors from Lorusso Corporation and Ray Dunetz Landscape Architecture will be on the job in the coming days.

The first construction zone will be around the Dot Ave. entrance closest to the former Carney Hospital. Once that section is completed, work will move to the second Dot Ave entrance across from St. Gregory’s church. No more than one entrance will be closed at a time, allowing residents to continue to use the playground, courts, and ballfields, all of which will remain open during renovations, Ofiesh said.

“Users might see a path that they like closed off for a little while, but it’s just because we want to improve it and make it better for them,” said Ofiesh. “It will all be phased so that the majority of the park can be used.”

While working on the entrances and paths, the project teams will also implement ADA upgrades.

“We are putting in ramps at several entrances,” said Ofiesh. “There are also a couple of areas within the park where the paths are very steep. What we’re doing there is we’re putting in a very simple handrail along one side that will let someone kind of hold on if they need a little assistance.”

As a first step, the workers will place corrugated plastic and wooden planks around nearby tree trunks.

“Any tree within five feet of the pathways, we’re providing trunk protection around it,” said Ofiesh. “The other thing we’re doing is putting up chain link fencing along the work areas. That also prevents construction equipment from getting too close to the trees or impacting their roots. That’s just to protect our urban canopy. We don’t want any damage to happen to these old beautiful trees.”

If the weather permits, Ofiesh hopes that construction can wrap up as soon as the end of the summer. For updates visit boston.gov/departments/parks-and-recreation/improvements-dorchester-park-pathways.