Nurturing Nature. Planting Possibility.
Summer 2009
theVOICE
in this issue
UPMC Health Plan Promotes Health Through Park Use By Michael Sexauer
A summer-long media campaign to remind Pittsburghers that we enjoy a great park system and that our “Parks Are Free” is being sponsored by UPMC Health Plan, a long-time supporter of the Parks Conservancy and an advocate of improving the health of local residents through promoting active lifestyle choices. Pittsburgh Mayor Luke Ravenstahl, the Parks Conservancy, the Allegheny County
JOHN ALTDORFER
The Mayor of Schenley Plaza page 7
Spring Hat Luncheon page 5
MELISSA MCMASTERS
Above: The Super Playground in Highland Park is a popular summer stop.
Walter Hood Hired for Greenprint page 3
David Donahoe, Executive Director of the Allegheny Regional Asset District; Mayor Luke Ravenstahl; Meg Cheever; and Jeff Nelson, Vice President of Marketing and Communications with UPMC Health Plan, launch the Parks Are Free initiative at the Riverview Park Chapel Shelter.
Regional Asset District (ARAD), and UPMC Health Plan announced the campaign on June 1st. The multimedia campaign is designed to attract people to the parks via www.parksarefree.com, a website that includes a comprehensive list of park events and information. "Parks are a tremendous asset that I think we here in Pittsburgh take for granted," said Mayor Luke Ravenstahl at the press conference. "We want to encourage people to use our parks; that's why we're here today, to remind people that parks are free." "Our goal with this campaign is to draw even more people into our fabulous parks that really are the envy of many major cities," said Meg Cheever, President and CEO of the Pittsburgh Parks Conservancy.
Pirates Partner with Parks Conservancy Pirates fans now have another reason to cheer. For every home run hit by a Pirate at PNC Park this season, the Conservancy will plant a native tree in one of the city’s regional parks. Announced during Earth Day pre-game festivities, this exciting new partnership evolved out of the team’s “Let’s Go Bucs, Let’s Go Green” initiative begun last year, and demonstrates the Pirates’ continuing commitment to their community and to environmentally sensitive practices. The partnership is beneficial in other ways, too. The Pirates are raising awareness of the Conservancy through ads in Pirates Insider and messages on the matrix scoreboard. The team generously donated Oliver Onion dolls from Build-A-Bear Workshop® for Children’s Carousel Tea gift bags, which were a tremendous hit. We are also delighted to be working with the Pirates as we prepare to celebrate the 49th anniversary of Bill Mazeroski’s historic World Series clinching home run and the 100th anniversary of the opening of Forbes Field. What’s the connection? Forbes Field was built on Schenley Park land leased to the Pirates, and fans celebrate Maz Day at Schenley Plaza annually. Join us as we cheer on the Buccos, and look for more homeruns to plant trees.
MELISSA MCMASTERS
By Laurie Anderson
Department of Public Works Employee Brian Murtaugh, Pirates President Frank Coonelly, Parks Conservancy Restoration Ecologist Erin Copeland, and the Pirate Parrot pause to plant a tree in Riverview Park.
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As the “window on the park” the cozy Schenley Café and Visitor Center offers a coffee bar, light lunch fare, desserts, gifts, a permanent exhibit on Schenley Park, and trail maps of the parks. Free wireless internet access is available in the building and on the patio. The back patio offers a fantastic view of Panther Hollow with tables and chairs to enjoy the delightful park setting. Concessionaires Bartho Nietsch and Russel Stover of The Wooden Shoe Catering, took on the operation of the Schenley Café in 2005. The café offers a great menu of healthy entrees and vegetarian-friendly meals. The Schenley Café and Visitor Center is also available for rentals. You’ll often see the beautiful building lit up at night on these summer evenings with guests enjoying themselves. It’s an ideal site for an intimate wedding, engagement party, or birthday party for up to 100 people. With a projector and presentation screen, the building is equally well-suited for a corporate retreat or lecture. “Sit on the patio and emjoy the view with a casual lunch. The Schenley Café is a great place to take in the park and get away for a while,” says Nietsch. The Schenley Café and Visitor Center is open daily from 10-4 p.m., except during the winter months when it is closed on Mondays. The Parks Conservancy completed the Schenley Café and Visitor Center in 2001 to give park users access to a facility providing park maps and
Pittsburgh Parks Conservancy 2000 Technology Drive, Suite 300 Pittsburgh, PA 15219 Phone: 412-682-PARK (7275) Fax: 412-622-0160 www.pittsburghparks.org
S t af f Meg Cheever, President and CEO Richard Reed, Executive Vice President and COO Debbie Beck, Chief Financial Officer Laurie Anderson, Director of Development Philip J. Gruszka, Director of Park Management and Maintenance Susan M. Rademacher, Parks Curator Kim Barner, Finance Assistant Beth Bodamer, Executive Assistant Joyce Collier, Development Assistant Lisa Conti, Development Officer - Annual Fund, Administrator - Development Systems Laura Cook, Marketing Communications Coordinator Erin Copeland, Restoration Ecologist William Ferguson, Development Officer - Corporate and Government Relations Jim Griffin, Schenley Plaza Manager Melissa McMasters, Online and Community Advocacy Manager Jake Milofsky, Field Ecologist
Board of Directors Alan Ackerman • Joe Belechak • Brian Bronaugh • Linda Burke Meg Cheever • G. Reynolds Clark • John Diederich • Helen Faison Jeremy Feinstein • Audrey Hillman Fisher • Elise Frick • Ethel Hansen Harry Henninger • Dan Holthaus • Elizabeth Howard • Mark Kamlet Becky Keevican • Robbee Kosak • John P. Levis, III • David Malone Debra Meyer • Scarlet Morgan • Brian Mullins • Marlee S. Myers Susan Nernberg • Eliza Nevin • Illah Nourbakhsh • Robert Petrilli James Rogal • Ritchie Scaife • Tom Schmidt • Alex Speyer Jr. Gerald Voros, Chair • Christy Wiegand • Michael Zanic Government Representatives: Mayor Luke Ravenstahl, City of Pittsburgh Chief Executive Dan Onorato, Allegheny County State Representative Dan Frankel Duane Ashley, City of Pittsburgh Guy Costa, City of Pittsburgh Noor Ismail, City of Pittsburgh
Concessionaire Bartho Nietsch and Meg Cheever at the Schenley Park Café.
information, refreshments and clean restrooms. The project also restored the historic building to its original charm after it had been boarded up for 10 years and restored the 5-acre surrounding landscape. Under a 30-year agreement with the City, your Pittsburgh Parks Conservancy leases and maintains this facility. Our partnership with Wooden Shoe Catering allows us to concentrate on what we do best -restoration and programming in the parks -- while Wooden Show can focus on providing a tasty menu, quality ingredients and friendly service. This a a great example of a “sustainable” project. We hope you’ll visit and support it often. WE NEED YOUR HELP NOW MORE THAN EVER
A great park system is a key element of Pittsburgh’s value proposition. The 1998 Master Plan for the city’s four largest parks -- Frick, Highland, Riverview and Schenley -analyzed conditions and compiled a $118 million list of needed repairs and improvements caused by 50 years of under-investment. These capital reinvestments require resources additional to daily park maintenance. Your Pittsburgh Parks Conservancy has been working with the city for 12 years to restore the park system to excellence, faithfully following the master plan’s recommendations. Thanks to nearly 10,000 citizen donors and volunteers, foundations and corporations, government, and the ARAD, over $40 million has been raised thus far and many major repairs accomplished such as the Riverview Chapel Shelter, Schenley Plaza and the Highland Park Entry Garden. Yet, half of the necessary work remains undone, such as replacing the ruined Frick Environmental Center and restoration of Panther Hollow Lake. With resources scarce in these financially troubled times we need your financial and moral support now more than ever. Please consider making a contribution, and also let your elected officials know that parks really matter to you. Let’s avoid sending our parks into another 50-year cycle of neglect and decay.
MELISSA MCMASTERS
Message from the President
Page 3
Summer 2009 Renowned Landscape Architect Hired for Hill District Project The Pittsburgh Parks Conservancy, Hill House Association, and the Community Partners Institute are making an impact in the Hill District through the partnership initiative Find the Rivers! (FTR!). FTR! is crafting a “Greenprint” plan with the help of the renowned landscape architect, Walter Hood, with funding from BNY Mellon. The two-phase plan will outline opportunities for development and enhanced quality of life in the Hill District, seeking to preserve, remediate and sustain the health and beauty of the natural and built landscape. Selected through a competitive process, Walter Hood works in a variety of fields including community design, urban landscape design, art and research. He was a Fellow of the American Academy in Rome in Landscape Architecture, 1997. He has exhibited and lectured on his professional projects and theoretical
Hood’s landscape design at the de Young Museum in San Francisco. Photo courtesy of Georgia Silvera Seamans, localecology.org.
works nationally and abroad. Hood is the principal of Hood Design. Phase I, the Greenprint plan will promote the foundation of a livable neighborhood that is characterized by connected public spaces, green economic development and environmentally sensitive land use. This phase of the project is expected to be completed by August 2009.
Walter Hood will speak on September 3rd. For more information, visit www.pittsburghparks.org.
Carlow Campus School and Jewish Community Center Encourage Young Park Stewards By Laura Cook
You are never too young to give. The Parks Conservancy is pleased to receive support from a youthful set of volunteers and donors this spring. The students and staff at The Campus School of Carlow University collected $2 from anyone who chose to dress down on Earth Day. The school decided to act locally and donate to the Conservancy. The students stressed particular concern for protecting the parks, as well as the animals that live and thrive there. The Parks Conservancy is using the donated funds to build wildlife habitat within Schenley Park by creating a meadow. Meadows replace underused lawns, serving as buffers between turf and wooded areas of the parks. The meadows help control erosion while creating habitat for insects, birds, and reptiles that typically do not live in lawns or woods. “It is extremely endearing to see future environmentalists contributing their wealth to support environmental issues, and we appreciate how their dollars will provide hundreds of
dollars of benefits for years to come,” said Phil Gruszka, the Parks Conservancy’s Director of Parks Management & Maintenance. In May, kids and parents from the Jewish Community Center volunteered with Parks Conservancy Field Staff to make the Bartlett Playground a healthier place by deadheading daffodils. Deadheading allows plants to redirect energy from their buds to their leaves allowing for a more vibrant bloom next season. After doing their part, the young volunteers and their parents participated in a nature walk through the Panther Hollow woods where they were introduced to many of the tree and plant species that call Pittsburgh home. The afternoon introduced the children to both woodland and garden habitats planting seeds for future environmental stewards. “These opportunities remind us of the promise of our future generations, as well as the importance of acting locally, no matter how young you are,” Gruszka added.
To get your group involved, call (412) 682-7275.
MELISSA MCMASTERS
COURTESY OF WALTER HOOD
By Laura Cook
Kids and their parents from the Jewish Community Center of Pittsburgh volunteered to deadhead daffodils and weed flowerbeds in Schenley Park.
Environmental Stewardship Symposium
Join local stewardship programs for a collaborative day of learning and fun in Frick Park Saturday July 11 8:30 AM – 3 PM
With Keynote Steven Handel, Urban Restoration Specialist. Check out local stewardship opportunities, tea time and field excursions. Register with Jeff Bergman at jeff@ninemilerun.org. Visit www.pittsburghparks.org/stewardship-symposium .
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the VOICE
Children’s Carousel Tea Gives Back By Laura Cook
MARY JANE BENT
The PNC Carousel was a great hit on Saturday, May 30 at the Children’s Carousel Tea. Schenley Plaza was filled with little ones looking their very best for a day of fun-filled activities. Kelsey Friday rocked the house, while the Zany Umbrella Circus amazed and entertained. Children enjoyed coloring at their tables, strolling puppeteers and activities sponsored by the Carnegie Science Center. Everyone enjoyed a lunch by the Common Plea. The event was sponsored by PNC.
MARY JANET BENT
Freedom the Eagle takes flight while others enjoy a twirl on the PNC Carousel at the Children’s Carousel Tea.
Thank you to the 2009 Children’s Carousel Tea Committee Suzanne Bain Helene Finegold Blodgett, MD Ann Bridges Heather Chronis Tonja Condron Julie Dever Holly Elste Annie Hanna Engel Lisa Fagan Kristina Gerszten Holly Hatcher-Frazier Nicole Johnston Angela Kamin Veronica Kamin Marina Lehn Maria Metro Susan Nernberg Jessica O’Brien Stefani Pashman Gabriela Porges Tori Rhoades Caryn Rubinoff Lisa P. Spiegel Kari Theoret Louise Kay Woodside
Guests are amazed as the Zany Umbrella Circus soared at the Children’s Carousel Tea.
The 2009 Spring volunteer season featured the remarkable efforts of almost 300 people totalling over 1200 hours of work. Thank you to our partners for helping us accomplish so much in the parks! Allegheny CleanWays Americorps Literacy Program BNY Mellon Calvary Episcopal Church Community Day School Deloitte & Touche Giant Eagle Hands on Pittsburgh Hill House Association Jewish Community Center Junior League of Pittsburgh Men’s Garden Club of Pittsburgh Pittsburgh Cares Pittsburgh Trails Advocacy Group PPG Industries PricewaterhouseCoopers REI Rodef Shalom Congregation Shady Side Academy Junior School Temple Sinai The Ellis School Venture Outdoors
Frick Environmental Center Staffer Kathryn Hunninen Connects Children with Nature By Melissa McMasters
Kathryn Hunninen’s love of nature was born in Frick Park, when as a three-year-old she attended her first camp at the Frick Environmental Center. It continued to grow over the next six years, when she attended the Center’s summer camps, and throughout high school and college, when she worked as a camp counselor. Today, Kathryn encourages children to explore nature in her role as a Program Coordinator with the Frick Environmental Center, part of the City’s Department of Parks and Recreation. Working with children ages three and up, Kathryn helps to design and implement a variety of programs appropriate to each age group. One of her major responsibilities is coordinating the first, second, and third grade summer nature camps, which have different themes that advance the Center’s mission of Education through Restoration. She also designs and implements programs for area schools that engage students in outdoor projects in the Frick Woods. Kathryn says that seeing the relationship children form with the outdoors is the greatest reward of her work. Whether it is getting a class of pre-kindergarteners excited about watering their school garden or helping an anxious child overcome her fears of a stream, Kathryn has influenced the lives of countless children for Pittsburgh’s better nature.
JACK WOLF
Volunteers Restore City Parks
Kathryn Hunninen works with local children at the Frick Enviromental Center.
Summer 2009
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Spring Hat Lunch Exalts the Parks
STAN FRANZOS
By Laura Cook
Past and present committee co-chairs, Charena Swann, Ranny Ferguson, Helene Finegold Blodgett, Susie Dorrance, Christine LeClere Hilliard, Peggy McKnight, and Nadine Bognar, pause for a photo at the Schenley Overlook as they celebrate the hard work that has made the Spring Hat Luncheon such a success.
MARY JANE BENT
Presenting sponsor PNC and the Pittsburgh Parks Conservancy celebrated the eleventh annual Spring Hat Luncheon on Saturday, May 2 at the Schenley Park Overlook. The day was delightful as 2009 Committee Co-Chairs Susie Dorrance, Charena Swann, Peggy McKnight, and Christine LeClere Hilliard brought together a splendid event to benefit the Parks Conservancy’s work in the city parks. Over the past 11 years, the Spring Hat Luncheon has raised a phenomenal $4.1 million to support the cause of parks restoration through the work of the Pittsburgh Parks Conservancy. Meg Cheever, pictured center, visits with PNC representatives (from left) Phyllis Silverman, Eva Blum, Sally and Scott Cunningham. PNC was presenting sponsor.
The Westinghouse Memorial was dedicated in 1930 to honor the legacy of Pittsburgh inventor and industrial magnate George Westinghouse. Almost 55,000 Westinghouse employees from around the world gave small contributions that made the project possible. The larger monument, was designed by architects Henry French’s “American Youth.” Hornbostel and Eric Fisher Wood, and depicts Westinghouse between an engineer and a mechanic. Sculptor Paul Fjelde created side panels illustrating Westinghouse’s achievements. Water became trapped in seams in the monument’s granite base and expanded during the freeze-thaw cycle, creating huge cracks. Now the granite is dislodging from its foundation. The monument’s bronze centerpiece, a Daniel Chester French sculpture called “American Youth,” is turning green due to corrosion, and vandals have tagged the surface with graffiti. Restoring the sculpture is imperative, because delays could vastly increase the cost of restoring this important work of American art. Source: Discovering Pittsburgh’s Sculpture, Marilyn Evert (University of Pittsburgh Press, 1983).
Westinghouse Pond Restoration Plans By Melissa McMasters
MELISSA MCMASTERS
American Youth
To view photos of this year’s event, visit www.flickr.com/groups/springhatluncheon.
The Westinghouse pond in March 2009. The pond has been refilled, but the landscape and fountain restoration are yet to come.
This past winter, the ice melted from Schenley Park’s Westinghouse Pond to reveal that most of the water had drained from the basin, replaced by leaves, sediment, and a lot of mud. The pond’s infrastructure had collapsed, with pipe, valve, basin, and water line failures contributing to the unintended drainage. Additionally, the stream that flows into the pond had filled with sediment and branches, reducing the flow rate of water necessary to keep fish in the pond. Under the supervision of the City’s Department of Public Works’ Gregg Daley and park foreman John Russo, the Schenley Park crew repaired the broken pipe, rebuilt the basin, and
re-filled the pond with water. But June’s severe storms caused another infrastructure failure that requires further investigation and repair. The Conservancy is now seeking information from contractors and conservators to determine the cost of completing the restoration. “We’ve stopped the hemorrhaging,” says Phil Gruszka, Parks Conservancy Director of Park Management and Maintenance, “but we know that the site needs a lot of help.” Funds are being sought for the restoration work.
For more on this story, visit http://pittsburghparks.wordpress.com/ 2009/03/12/westinghouse-quandary.
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the VOICE
PTAG Follows a Sustainable Path By Melissa McMasters
JOHN ALTDORFER
Pittsburgh’s parks benefit tremendously from partnerships between organizations dedicated to making them sustainable places for recreation and relaxation. One of the Parks Conservancy’s valuable collaborators is the Pittsburgh Trails Advocacy Group (PTAG), a volunteer organization that has been working to improve the multi-use trail experience in the parks since 2001.
Partnerships with organizations like PTAG make the parks a better place for the people of Pittsburgh.
PTAG follows the International Mountain Bicycling Association’s trail building and maintenance standards, which seek to create sustainable, low-maintenance trails without harming the surrounding landscape. A key focus of PTAG’s volunteer work is lessening the impact of water and erosion on the trails to keep them in good shape for pedestrians and bikers. This year, PTAG has begun holding monthly work days in Riverview Park, led by Sean Brady of Venture Outdoors. “I wanted to help folks get into the rhythm of giving back to improve the trails they use,” Brady says. The crew meets the fourth Saturday of each month at 10:00 a.m. Anyone is welcome to join in the work days, which have so far helped improve the Violet Lane, Bob Harvey, Kilbuck, and Acorn Hill trails. “PTAG helps to provide excellent trail experiences to all park users, be they mountain bikers or dog walkers,” Brady says.
We Want Your Feedback.
The Pittsburgh Parks Conservancy welcomes letters to the editor. Letters may be edited. All submissions become the property of the Parks Conservancy. Please send them to: The Voice, 2000 Technology Drive, Suite 300, Pittsburgh, PA 15219.
To find out more about PTAG and learn how you can help, visit www.ptagtrails.com.
The Giving Tree By Mary Kay Poppenberg
The Invasive Advisor Invasive plants are choking out the biodiversity of our natural areas – even in our own backyards. These invasive, non-native plants are not part of our original habitat, but were introduced from other countries, often for gardening and landscaping. With few or no natural enemies, these plants can now be seen taking over entire landscapes.
Join the battle! Learn to recognize and control invasive species by picking up Plant Invaders of the Mid-Atlantic Natural Areas at the Schenley Park Café and Visitor Center. You can also find an “Invasive Plants of Pittsburgh” guide on our website. Please avoid planting these aggressors in your own garden.
Bush Honeysuckle
Phil Gruszka, Margie Forbes, Dick Wilford, Emily Medine, and Davida Fromm admire the tree planted in honor of Davida’s birthday.
Good friends Emily Medine, Margie Forbes and Davida Fromm look forward to their weekend walks together in Frick Park. A highlight of the week, these friend never tire of the park that “looks different every time we walk.” As Davida’s “milestone” birthday approached, Emily and Margie asked a group of Davida’s friends to join with them on a most appropriate surprise gift of a tree for Frick Park. Davida received word of the gift and the three friends met with representatives of the Parks Conservancy, Phil Gruszka and Lisa Conti, to decide on the tree species and look for the best location. Based on his expertise in horticultural management and arboriculture, Phil recommended three appropriate species. Davida chose a pin oak tree for its flaming colors in the fall and its 90 to 120 year life-cycle. “And,” said Davida, “my pin oak will drop acorns for the animals of the Frick woods.” This April, one year from the big birthday, the three friends were accompanied by Davida’s dog Andy as they headed for Frick Park to witness the planting of the pin oak. They were accompanied by Parks Conservancy staff and members of the City of Pittsburgh Department of Public Works, who did the actual planting. The gift of a tree is always a generous addition to Pittsburgh’s great parks: Frick, Highland, Riverview, and Schenley.
If you would like to make a donation for the gift of a tree, contact the Parks Conservancy at (412) 682-7275 or info@pittsburghparks.org.
DESCRIPTION: There are three species of invasive bush honeysuckle around Pittsburgh. They look similar, but have slightly different flowering times. Plants are upright, generally deciduous shrubs with multiple hollow stems. Leaves are opposite and have smooth edges with tiny hairs. Flowers are small and fragrant (similar to Japanese honeysuckle flowers) and grow in pairs along with the stem at leaf junctions. Fruits are red to orange. Plants will grow to 6 to 20 feet high. These exotic bush honeysuckles most often occur in edge habitat (along roads and trails), open upland habitat, and disturbed woodlands.
MELISSA MCMASTERS
LISA CONTI
Common name: Bush honeysuckle Scientific name: Lonicera morrowii Origin: Asia and Western Europe
ECOLOGICAL THREAT: Exotic bush honeysuckles can rapidly invade and overtake a site, forming a dense shrub layer that crowds and shades out native plant species. Exotic bush honeysuckles may compete with native bush honeysuckles for pollinators, resulting in fewer seeds set by native species. In addition, the fruits of exotic bush honeysuckles, while abundant and rich in carbohydrates, do not offer migrating birds the high-fat, nutrient-rich food sources that are supplied by native plant species and needed for long flights.
SUGGESTED ALTERNATIVES: The native spicebush, ink-berry, gray dogwood, northern bayberry, red chokecherry, and arrowwood are preferred landscape alternatives.
MANAGEMENT OPTIONS: To control, pull out by the roots. This is much easier with the use of a specialized tool such as the “Honeysuckle Popper“ or the “Weed Wrench,” but can also be done with a shovel. If this is not possible, cut back when flowering to prevent seeding.
Parks Conservancy field staff is working with private contractors, the City of Pittsburgh DPW crews, volunteer groups, and the Student Conservation Association to remove bush honeysuckle from the parks. Thanks to TreeVitalize funding, many of these removal sites have been replanted with native trees and shrubs. Visit the southwestern portion of Frick Park near the Firelane Trail for a good look at our progress.
Spring 2009
Page 7
Meet the Mayor of Schenley Plaza more often than any others. One is from baseball fans wondering where to find the nearby Forbes Field wall. The other is, “This wasn’t always here, was it?” which Kenny uses as an opportunity to tell the story of the Plaza’s transformation from parking lot to a beautiful green space. Kenny says his favorite thing about working at Schenley Plaza is the people he gets to meet, from employees of the food kiosks to photographers coming to capture the scenery. As he says, “People make the world go round,” and interacting with visitors from all different backgrounds keeps his work interesting. One of the Plaza’s best ambassadors, Kenny says that “The food is good, there’s great music, and you always see people out with their laptops studying and enjoying the peace and quiet. The word is really getting out.”
To find out more visit www.pittsburghparks.org/schenleyplaza.
MELISSA MCMASTERS
To regular visitors of Schenley Plaza, Kenny Slaughter is as consistent a presence as the PNC Carousel or the Oval Tent. An employee of Cauley Security, the Parks Conservancy’s security contractor, Kenny has been site supervisor since the Plaza opened in 2006. Every weekday, Kenny greets visitors with his welcoming and knowledgeable presence, which has led Schenley Plaza Manager Jim Griffin to nickname him “the Mayor of Schenley Plaza.” A typical day for Kenny involves walking around the Plaza grounds to make sure nothing is broken and there are no safety issues. He spends a lot of time answering questions, giving directions, and assisting his fellow Plaza employees, including the maintenance crew, Parks Conservancy staff, and carousel and kiosk workers. His philosophy is “I just try to be as helpful as I can.” As the man with all the answers at the Plaza, Kenny says he gets two questions
Kenny Slaughter, “the Mayor of Schenley Plaza,” welcomes and watches over Plaza patrons throughout the week.
JOHN ALTDORFER
By Melissa McMasters
Non-Profit Org. U S POSTAGE
P A I D
Record Attendance at Schenley Plaza
PITTSBURGH, PA PERMIT NO 4906
By Jim Griffin
Schenley Plaza crossed a milestone in May with daily attendance averaging over 1,000 people a day. With partners such as WYEP 91.3 FM, the Pittsburgh Jazz Society and the Guitar Society of Fine Arts, Schenley Plaza will feature more than 100 free live musical performances this year. Schenley Plaza is fast becoming THE preferred live music venue of the East End. The Guitar Society of Fine Art offers diverse musical programming at the Plaza Tent. They feature classical, jazz and rock performances on weekdays, Tuesday through Thursday, from noon to 1:30 p.m. On September 13, Schenley Plaza will host the Pittsburgh Jazz Society’s inaugural Jazz in the Park festival for an evening of lively jazz. Come and enjoy Pittsburgh’s great jazz tradition that extends from legends such as Billy Strayhorn to today’s Pittsburgh jazz greats such as Roger Humphries in an event hosted by the legendary Tony Mowod of WDUQ FM. WYEP has become a featured partner in hosting events at Schenley Plaza. Their CD Release Party on May 1 saw more than a thousand fans flock to the Plaza for the music of Jennifer O’Conner and local favorite, Donora. The Plaza will continue to host WYEP events through our Final Friday series that begins on July 31. The Plaza rocked on Friday, June 26 when it hosted the 12th Annual WYEP Summer Music Festival at Schenley Plaza. This event featured great national recording artists the Sam Roberts Band, along with Dar William and The Duhks.
Parks Conservancy Lecture Series Thursday, September 3
Sampling Urban Landscapes
with Walter Hood, renowned landscape architect (see page 3)
Monday, September 21
Managing Public Spaces for Success
with Doug Blonksy, President, Central Parks Conservancy & Tim Fulton, Buffalo, NY COURTESY OF WYEP
For Tickets and Registration Information, go to www.pittsburghparks.org. Save the Date for the Three Rivers Bioneers Satellite Conference! October 16-18, 2009. Visit www.3riversbioneers.org for more information.
Plaza patrons enjoyed the atmosphere at the 11th Annual WYEP Summer Music Festival in 2008.
A Passion for the Parks Just after learning of the very first features of where they live. Over the bequest to the Conservancy past decade, they have seen many (reported in the Spring 2009 issue), positive changes in the park, we were delighted to hear that Gary especially along Nine Mile Run, and and Greer Mulholland have each they greatly value the work of the included a bequest to the Conservancy. Conservancy in their respective wills. Though retired, the Mullhollands are Interested in learning how to leave a legacy for Pittsburgh’s parks? a very active couple. We are so Call us at 412.682.7275 x228. pleased to be told of their intentions and to have a chance to thank them for their generous legacy. Greer was a school librarian, and Gary worked in health care for most of his career. But in their non-working hours, they love to be out-of-doors. They are frequent travelers and have used parks all their lives. Living in Edgewood, the Mulhollands visit Frick Park regularly. It’s their favorite place to walk, jog, hike, and cross country ski. They believe that having the park so nearby – only four blocks Gary and Greer Mulholland are dedicated supporters of Frick away – is one of the best Park and the Pittsburgh Parks Conservancy.
COURTESY OF GARY & GREER MULHOLLAND3
By Laurie Anderson