Nurturing Nature. Planting Possibility.
theVOICE
Winter 2009
Restored Fountain Illuminates Oakland
JOHN ALTDORFER JOHN ALTDORFER
Parks Conference Makes an Impact page 3
Schenley Plaza Wraps Up a Great Season page 6
The beautifully restored Mary E. Schenley Memorial Fountain is setting Oakland abuzz. The six-month restoration project wrapped up in October, restoring this magnificent piece of public art by sculptor Victor David Brenner to the people of Pittsburgh. This project also increases green space in the area, reduces impervious paving, provides enhanced access to the Frick Fine Arts Building, and allows for ease of access in accordance with the Americans with Disabilities Act. The fountain was originally dedicated on September 2, 1918 and rededicated at a ribbon-cutting ceremony on October 16, 2008.
JIM SCHAFER
By Laura Cook
in this issue
Thanks to the Benter Foundation, the Howard E. & Nell E. Miller Foundation, the National Endowment for the Arts, The H. Glenn Sample Jr. MD Memorial Fund through the PNC Charitable Trust Grant Review Committee, the Juliet Lea Hillman Simonds Foundation, and the City of Pittsburgh through the Allegheny Regional Asset District Funds for helping to restore the Mary E. Schenley Memorial Fountain .
MARY JANE BENT
By Laurie Anderson
Because of their size, trees dominate the view with changing colors and beauty in all four seasons. In 2008, the Pittsburgh Parks Conservancy planted 451 of these beautiful and Board Member Mixes amazing workers. Technology and One source of trees was the McKenzie Foundation, Nature which provided a $20,000 grant in 2007 to help restore the page 7 tree canopy in the parks. Gaps in the tree canopy are problematic because invasive vines thrive in the increased sunshine. These vines can literally strangle other trees or cover them and block out the sunlight they need. When mature, the trees purchased this year with McKenzie Foundation grant funds will capture more than 19,000 gallons of rain water, keeping it from reaching the ground. On the ground, those same trees will absorb 220,000 gallons of storm water runoff. Storm water picks up pollutants and sediment as it flows across parking lots, roads, and hillsides and eventually into streams and rivers. Trees are especially important on Pittsburgh’s steep slopes and hillsides to absorb and slow down University of Pittsburgh’s Make a Difference Day volunteers plant trees in Frick Park. the runoff so it can be
filtered by tree roots and other plant life. TreeVitalize Pittsburgh has been another key source of trees this Volunteers from RISO, Inc. plant trees at Riverview Park. year. The Parks Conservancy has been an active partner in the PA Dept. of Conservation & Natural Resources’ (DCNR) TreeVitalize program, managed locally by the Western Pennsylvania Conservancy. DCNR’s goal for TreeVitalize is to plant one million trees across the Commonwealth by 2013. In 2008, the Conservancy was awarded 230 trees, which have already been planted among Frick, Highland, Riverview and Schenley parks. Trees also came to us from RISO, Inc., a global supplier of digital printers with local offices on the North Side. As part of their environmental commitment, RISO provided tree seedlings (they’ve made a commitment to supplying 250), which were planted in Riverview Park with the help of RISO employees. Volunteers have helped with about half of the trees that have been planted this year; the other half were planted by Conservancy staff working with the City’s Department of Public Works (DPW) crews. Through TreeVitalize and other funding sources, the Pittsburgh Parks Conservancy plans to put many more trees to work in the coming years.
COURTESY OF RISO, INC.
MELISSA MCMASTERS
451 Trees Planted in 2008
Page 2
The Voice
Dear Friends of Pittsburgh Parks,
Volunteers from Giant Eagle work with the Parks Conservancy and Penn State Cooperative Extension to plant daffodil bulbs in Schenley Park.
with a ribbon cutting in June. We also restored the Mary E. Schenley Memorial Fountain, A Song to Nature, by Victor Brenner — from plumbing, to sculpture, to surrounding walkways and landscape —and the fountain was permanently illuminated for the first time since the original dedication in 1918. A re-dedication ceremony in October marked the successful completion of that project. Schenley Plaza wrapped up its third exciting season, which offered 200 free public programs from April through November. Special events included Squonk Opera’s presentation of Astro-rama and the zany and exquisite Madcap Masquerade presented by UPMC Health Plan. This was the first time that Madcap had been held in one of our parks, and it was a spectacular way to benefit the work of the Pittsburgh Parks Conservancy. In 2008, our staff, in concert with the city, worked with many organizations and community groups on more than 20 volunteer days to improve the ecological health of our parks through planting trees, cleaning up trash, and removing invasive species. Together with the Penn State Cooperative Extension, we launched the Pittsburgh Daffodil Project as an ongoing initiative. Every year we plan to plant a large swath of daffodils in one or more of the
Pittsburgh Parks Conservancy
Letters to the Editor
MIKE MASIUK
In 2008 the Pittsburgh Parks Conservancy celebrated 12 years of work in capital projects, ecological restoration, building and landscape improvements, education, and free public programming. Our public-private partnership with the City of Pittsburgh resulted in the completion of two capital projects in 2008. We completely restored the historic Chapel Shelter and landscape in Riverview Park, which the community celebrated
2000 Technology Drive, Suite 300 Pittsburgh, PA 15219 Phone: 412-682-PARK (7275) Fax: 412-622-0160 www.pittsburghparks.org
Staff Meg Cheever, President and CEO Laurie Anderson, Development Department Manager Debbie Beck, Chief Financial Officer 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 Timothy Gyves, Development Officer - Donor Relations and Special Events Melissa McMasters, Online and Community Advocacy Manager Jake Milofsky, Field Ecologist Gudrun Wells, Volunteer Education Coordinator
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
RICHARD KELLY
Message from the President
parks so that eventually our city will be blanketed in yellow blooms each spring. Spring 2009 should reveal 7,850 new blooms at Schenley Park’s Bartlett Playground. And September’s blockbuster 2008 International Urban Parks Conference, Body and Soul: Parks and the Health of Great Cities, brought 602 participants from five continents, 10 countries and 31 states together to discuss how essential parks are to a metro region and the health of its people. The Parks Conservancy’s leadership was crucial in bringing this conference to Pittsburgh, and we have heard nothing but rave reviews from participants who were dazzled by our city’s transformation from grey, industrial landscape to green metropolis. The tremendous support we receive each year from you, our community, and the stellar cooperation from government makes all this work possible. Thank you. Sincerely,
Thank you for the “Sundays in the Park” programs. I had a great experience listening to the Boilermaker Jazz Band…I would also like to compliment the staff in the Visitor Center restaurant for quick friendly service and for being helpful with questions. I also enjoyed the history snapshots that are presented on the walls of the restaurant. Thanks again! Vince Trotnick, McMurray
On behalf of the Board of Directors and staff of the Oakland Business Improvement District, I wish to thank you for inviting the OBID to participate in the spectacular Madcap Masquerade!....which brought hundreds of people into Oakland and this spectacular event transformed Schenley Plaza into a festive and electrifying space. We thank you for your support of OBID and, most of all, we thank you for the excitement and for the beautiful natural parks and public spaces you provide for the Oakland community! Georgia S. Petropoulos, Executive Director, Oakland Business Improvement District
I want to extend a heartfelt thanks to you on behalf of the Staff and Board of the Pittsburgh International Children’s Festival. Despite the weather, the 2008 Festival’s debut in Oakland was an overwhelming success, welcoming more than 20,000 visitors. The wonderful experiences you helped create for these families will provide them with happy, lasting memories for years to come. We’re honored to be your partner in supporting professional performing arts for children and look forward to working with you next year. Pamela K. Lieberman, Executive Director, Pittsburgh International Children’s Theater
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.
Page 3
Winter 2009
Urban Parks Conference Draws 602 Park Advocates to Pittsburgh
CENTER RIGHT PHOTO, JACK WOLF FAR RIGHT PHOTO, JOHN ALTDORFER
CENTER LEFT PHOTO, MARY JANE BENT FAR LEFT PHOTO, MARY JANE BENT
By Laura Cook
Luis Garden Acosta
Teresa Heinz
Richard Louv
Michael DiBerardinis
Parks: The Common Ground for Democracy and All Human Rights
Urban Parks: The Places That We Dream
The Last Child in the Woods: Saving Our Children from Nature Deficit Disorder
Making the Most of This Moment in Time
JACK WOLF
“If I had known Pittsburgh was like this when I was starting my career I would have looked for a job here.” Monica Thornton Vice President, Piedmont Park Conservancy, Atlanta, GA
JACK WOLF
The 2008 International Urban Parks Conference, Body and Soul: Parks and the Health of Great Cities, was a great success. The event partners - City Parks Alliance, National Association for Olmsted Parks, City of Pittsburgh, and the Pittsburgh Parks Conservancy - produced a program containing an array of speakers and panelists that was truly oustanding both in breadth and depth of experience and in geographic diversity. Praise for the extraordinarily high caliber of speakers has been tremendous. Participants came from around the globe, from five continents, 10 countries and 31 of the United States, to discuss their shared conviction that a great park system is a key element of the value proposition of a metropolitan area and to debate how best to advocate for this position within their own communities and governments all over the world. “...Body and Soul 2008 was literally a breath of fresh air in an otherwise very stressful and negative snapshot in time. With the economy tanking, ongoing war and potential outbreaks simmering, a negative political campaign season. ...there are still true inspirational leaders working hard to ensure this globe will be a better place to live for coming generations.” Nikki Mercer Research Associate, Spencer Stuart Atlanta, GA
The Garden Club of Allegheny County (GCAC), a member of the Garden Club of America, has proved to be a key supporter of the Pittsburgh Parks Conservancy over the past 12 years.
This historic photo of the gatehouse at Frick Park shows part of the landscape that will be restored during the construction of the new Environmental Center at Frick Park.
The GCAC has helped fund educational programs, tree plantings, tools and other vital needs. In 2005 the GCAC, the The Garden Club of Allegheny County, a member of the Garden Club of America, poses with Richard Louv at Carnegie Museum, the Urban Parks Conference in September. and the Parks numerous customers for Pizzazz during the two-day, Conservancy worked on a DNA study of the London plane trees surrounding Schenley Plaza with chic unique boutique-shopping extravaganza, October 16-17, raising approximately $57,000. Dr. Cynthia Morton. Through this project, local Historically, GCAC has donated past nurseries have been able to grow diverse trees that proceeds—in the form of grants—to various will eventually be planted in the city parks. horticultural, conservation, preservation and This important relationship has continued environmental projects in Western Pennsylvania. through 2008. The GCAC sponsored the Richard Louv lecture at the Urban Parks Conference. Most This is the first year that the group specified the recipient and grant amount in advance of their show. recently the GCAC announced that 75% of their Next year’s fundraiser, the 15th anniversary of “Pizzazz” fundraiser’s proceeds will go to Pizzazz, is scheduled for October 21-23. benefit the landscape master plan design for the new Environmental Center at Frick Park. They hosted
JOHN ALTDORFER
Garden Club Plants Seeds in Community
Page 4
The Voice
CMU Team Envisions the Playground of the Future
COURTESY OF CMU
Cameras. iPods. Cell phones. What will the increasingly tech-savvy children of the future expect from their playgrounds? Four students at Carnegie Mellon University’s Entertainment Technology Center spent the fall semester trying to answer just that question. With a grant from the Grable Foundation and a working partnership with the Pittsburgh Parks Conservancy, Kelsey Livingston, Laura Lantz, Joey Yeh, and Marlos Hu began researching playgrounds in the Pittsburgh area and thinking about possible ways to incorporate new technology. Based on their research, they decided that a playground should do four things: balance safety with fun, be able to compete with other leisure activities for children’s interest, involve the community, and foster a connection with nature. Designing activities to test this theory over the course of one semester meant doing more than imagining new playground equipment (although the students did experiment with innovative new “water maze” technology). Instead of thinking just about how to build a new kind of playground, they focused on how to incorporate some existing technology into a fun, community-based activity that would encourage participants to envision The Playground of the Future team. Pictured from nature as a place for play. left to right: Joey Yeh, Kelsey Livingston, Laura The staff of the Frick Lantz, and Marlos Hu. Environmental Center
Participants in the photo scavenger hunt take a shot of a willing model.
provided consultation for the team. This past fall, three photo scavenger hunts aimed at seniors, families with young children, and young adults were held at Frick Park’s Blue Slide Playground. “The scavenger hunt project developed out of an opportunity we saw with the growing prevalence of camera and web-enabled mobile phones,” Kelsey Livingston says. By giving participants a digital camera to use to photograph items found in the park, the team could prototype an event where people accessed a scavenger hunt on their cell phones and could upload photos via mobile web. “In the future, we’d like to use these technologies to get kids back to the parks and excited about playgrounds,” Livingston adds. Following each scavenger hunt, participants Invasive plants are choking out the biodiversity of our natural areas – even in our own backyards. were asked to complete a survey about their These invasive, non-native plants are not part of our original habitat, but were introduced from experiences. The surveys helped Livingston and other countries, often for gardens and landscaping. With few or no natural enemies, you can now her partners to understand what attracted see these plants taking over entire landscapes. people of different ages to a public park event Join the battle! Learn to recognize and control invasive species by reading this column and by and how mobile technology could play a role in picking up Plant Invaders of the Mid-Atlantic Natural Areas at the Schenley Park Café and Visitor these events as it becomes more accessible in Center ($4.00. You can also find an “Invasive Plants of Pittsburgh” guide on our website. Please the future. avoid planting these aggressors in your own garden. Although their project ended in December, the Playground of the Future team hopes that their research will be beneficial to others who Common name: English ivy are interested in creating fun and educational Scientific name: Hedera helix places to play. Origin: Europe To learn more about the project and view the DESCRIPTION: English ivy is a climbing vine with dark green, group’s research findings, visit waxy leaves that grow alternately along the stem. Because English ivy www.pittsburghparks.org/playground. is evergreen and can grow in thick patches even under the shade of large trees, it has frequently been planted by gardeners as a groundcover. The plants produce small, dark purple berries that are toxic to humans, and some plants produce small, pale yellow-green flowers in fall.
The Invasive Advisor
English Ivy
MELISSA MCMASTERS
MELISSA MCMASTERS
By Melissa McMasters
ECOLOGICAL THREAT: English ivy poses a special threat to woodland areas because it can grow in both sun and deep shade. It can grow so densely as a groundcover on the forest floor that it smothers native seedlings. English ivy can also climb the trunks of trees, blocking light to their leaves and weighing down and breaking their branches. Its berries are eaten by birds, which then disperse the seedlings to other locations. HABITAT: English ivy can infest woodlands, forest edges, fields, and hedgerows, especially where soil is relatively moist.
SIZE: Vines can reach up to one foot in diameter and can climb to 50 feet or higher.
MANAGEMENT OPTIONS: Pull stems and roots of English ivy from the ground, making sure to wear gloves to avoid possible skin irritation. Try to remove as much of the roots as possible, as English ivy spreads primarily through root fragmentation. SUGGESTED ALTERNATIVES: There are many native groundcovers that offer an attractive alternative. Native sedges and ferns can provide elements of a diverse groundcover planting. Alternative vines include trumpet creeper (Campsis radicans), Virginia creeper (Parthenocissus quinquefolia), and native wisteria (Wisteria frutescens).
Winter 2009
Page 5
GEORGE MENDEL
Madcap Masquerade Lights Up Schenley Plaza
Madcap Masquerade creates a kaleidoscope of colors and lights at Schenley Plaza for an evening of music and dancing.
MARY JANE BENT
New Staff Joins PPC
MELISSA MCMASTERS
By Melissa McMasters Peggy and Steve McKnight
MELISSA MCMASTERS
The Parks Conservancy is pleased to announce the arrival of two new members to its Development Department. Timothy Gyves will serve as the Development Officer for Donor Relations and Special Events, and William Ferguson will be the Development Officer for Corporate and Government Relations. Tim’s primary responsibility will be to plan large-scale fundraising events like the Spring Hat Tim Gyves Luncheon as well as smaller events designed to help Conservancy supporters become better acquainted with the organization’s mission and work. Tim has spent most of his career working in the non-profit sector in New York City, including positions at Poets & Writers, Inc., Eos Orchestra, the American Federation of Arts, and Columbia University Press. “In the years I lived in New York, I saw how places like Central Park and Prospect Park in Brooklyn were transformed by people who cared enough to invest in them,” Tim says. Bill’s focus will be on developing relationships with corporate funders, including involving them in volunteer opportunities, promoting the use of Schenley Plaza for private events, and securing sponsorships. He will also manage relationships with elected officials, lobbyists, and other political constituents. Bill also recently returned to Pittsburgh after spending the past four years as Manager of Youth National Teams for the United States Soccer Federation in Carson, California. He previously served as an Internal Auditor and Research Assistant at the Federal Reserve Bank of Chicago. Bill Ferguson
MARY JANE BENT
The fourth annual Madcap Masquerade, sponsored by UPMC Health Plan, had a new location that took its patrons into the park for a fabulous indoor party with an autumn feel. Clear tents were placed across the Schenley Plaza Lawn with a great view of the newly restored Mary E. Schenley Memorial Fountain as it shone in the moonlight. The Cathedral of Learning was a beautiful backdrop as part of Pittsburgh 250’s Festival of Lights.
UPMC Health Plan President and CEO Diane P. Holder enjoyed Madcap Masquerade as it illuminated Schenley Plaza.
Scouts Lend a Helping Hand By Jake Milofsky For the past several years, the Pittsburgh Parks Conservancy has enjoyed a healthy partnership with the Collegiate Eagle Scouts Association (CESA), a group of University of Pittsburgh students dedicated to continuing the practice of community service that they have learned through their years of scouting. CESA was founded by a group of Pitt students who were not satisfied to let their track records of community service lapse with the attainment of their Eagle Scout status. On many volunteer days, CESA members have used their leadership experience to support Parks Conservancy field staff as assistant crew leaders by helping to educate volunteers, promote safety, organize tools, and other tasks. CESA president, Nick Wytiaz, expresses his appreciation of the partnership in stating, “...Both CESA and Parks Conservancy have a common goal of serving the Pittsburgh community and continued cooperation will help benefit both organizations and, ultimately, the city as a whole.” In addition to CESA’s work in the parks, they have had a direct impact in their university community through the Oakland Planning and and Development Corporation’s adopt-a-block program. CESA also dedicates itself each year to hosting a day-long Merit Badge program in which local dignitaries speak and regional scouts earn their citizenship merit badges. Far more than a hobby, scouting is a lifestyle focusing on self discipline and service to one’s community. The members of CESA demonstrate their commitment in the joint efforts between their members and the Parks Conservancy.
Page 6
The Voice
Schenley Plaza 2008
Schenley Plaza’s food kiosks offered a variety of lunchtime options.
JOHN ALTDORFER
In 2008, Schenley Plaza enjoyed a fabulous programming year with 200 lively, exciting and free public events. With events like the International Children Festival in May, the Plaza welcomed more than 50,000 children and their parents to Schenley Plaza to sample the best of children’s theater from around the world. The Carnegie Library of Pittsburgh’s Summer Reading Extravaganza kicked off a summer of fun at Schenley Plaza, and in August the Plaza welcomed the Pittsburgh Riverhounds for a soccer clinic at Mazeroski Field. Season-long events included the monthly Taking a ride on the PNC Carousel at the Kids Day events (thank you to the H.J. Heinz Halloween Family Fun Day. Company Foundation for its support), culminating with our famous Halloween Family Fun Night event with our programming partner, the Children’s Museum of Pittsburgh. The monthly Eleventh Stack Read Aloud program provided live readings by Carnegie Library of Pittsburgh librarians on a variety of themes, and at the Sundae Flea Markets, Plaza visitors could purchase unique arts and crafts at modest prices. The 11th Annual WYEP Summer Music Festival proved to be one of the most popular events in the history of Schenley Plaza when more than 6,000 visitors packed the Plaza to see the Old ‘97s headline the festival. In addition, our lunchtime concerts under the tent have been a visitor favorite
MELISSA MCMASTERS
GEORGE MENDEL
By Jim Griffin
Squonk Opera’s out-of-this-world performance.
for years. We had more than 75 days of music under the tent this season. October featured Squonk Opera’s Pittsburgh premier of Astro-Rama. With the Cathedral of Learning “painted” in lights as a backdrop, the Squonkers entertained over 5,000 Plaza visitors over four nights in October. The lighting was provided courtesy of Pittsburgh 250 Festival of Lights. Last fall brought the annual pilgrimage to the old Forbes Field Wall near Schenley Plaza to celeberate the anniversary of the 1960 Pittsburgh Pirates World Series win by listening to the original broadcast of the game at the wall. 2008 was a jam-packed year, and 2009 promises to be even better.
Coming to Schenley Plaza in 2009 Scheduled Events: 5/13-17/09 Pittsburgh International Children’s Festival 6/7/09 Carnegie Library of Pittsburgh’s Summer Reading Extravaganza 7/26/09 WYEP Summer Music Festival 8/7-9/09 Visionary Arts Festival
Season Long Events: Carnegie Library of Pittsburgh’s Eleventh Stack Read Aloud, every fourth Friday of April through October. Sundae Flea Markets Kids Days Live Music Physical activity, including adult kickball, Zumba and Tai Chi
Oasis in the City: Mellon Square is an Icon of Modernism
COURTESY OF THE HEINZ HISTORY CENTER
By Susan Rademacher
Mellon Square in its glory, 1955.
Among Pittsburgh’s many “firsts” is Mellon Square – the first modern garden plaza built over a parking garage, and a forerunner of green roofs. This significant landscape has brought liveliness and beauty to downtown for 50 years, and was originally designed by the distinguished landscape architecture firm Simonds & Simonds and architects Mitchell & Ritchey. As a measure of its stature, the Square was listed in the National Register of Historic Places in 1985, just 30 years after opening.
Bordered by Smithfield and Oliver Streets, Mellon Square was named one of “America’s Ten Great Public Spaces” by the American Planning Association in 2008. According to APA Executive Director Paul Farmer, a former Pittsburgh city planner, “The Square is iconic not only for its design and character, but for the way it was planned and the role it played in spurring revitalization and private investment in Downtown Pittsburgh.” Mellon Square is an emblem of Pittsburgh’s post-war Renaissance when civic leaders sought to rebrand the city with much needed open space. The Square was envisioned by Richard King Mellon as a key piece of a new development to include office buildings for Alcoa and U.S. Steel, and to provide a memorial to R.K.’s father Richard B. Mellon and uncle Andrew Mellon. After the land was acquired in 1948, the A.W. Mellon Educational and Charitable Trust, Sarah Mellon Scaife, and the Richard King Mellon
Foundation gave $4.3 million to the City to build it. Ground was broken on the 1.37-acre site in 1953, and the park opened to great fanfare in 1955, as did the garage below, which could hold 1,000 cars. Mellon Square is also significant because of its designers. John Ormsbee Simonds (1913-2005) was a Pittsburgh-based master landscape architect. Simonds and architect Dahl Ritchey were frequent design collaborators who intended Mellon Square as a refreshing oasis of human scale within the tall towers of the city. Today, Mellon Square remains an active space, but is showing serious signs of wear and tear. With funding from the Richard King Mellon Foundation and the Bank of New York Mellon, the Parks Conservancy is developing a restoration and management plan to be completed early this year. The planning team is led by Patricia O’Donnell of Heritage Landscapes. Key partners include the Pittsburgh Parking Authority, City of Pittsburgh, Pittsburgh Downtown Partnership, and Pittsburgh History and Landmarks Foundation. This remarkable gift to the people of Pittsburgh continues to provide precious public green space and parking. To read more about Mellon Square, visit www.pittsburghparks.wordpress.com/mellonsquare.
Winter 2009
Page 7
Board Spotlight: Illah Nourbakhsh Mixes Technology and Nature Parks are often described as an antidote to today’s technologically-dominated world. But not everyone sees parks and technology as mutually exclusive. Illah Nourbakhsh, Assistant Professor of Robotics at Carnegie Mellon University (CMU), joined the Parks Conservancy board in 2007 and serves on the Development and Nominating & Governance committees. He and his wife Marti, along with their children, live near Frick Park and are avid users of Pittsburgh’s parks.
How is Frick Park important to the surrounding community? The entire social interaction of our neighborhood takes place at Frick Park. The residents with kids know each other because of the time we spend at the Blue Slide Park, and the dog owners all socialize there, too. Parks are some of the few places where people still strike up conversations with strangers. The park, not people’s front porches, is the social focus of the neighborhood.
Illah Nourbakhsh uses technology to enhance the park experience.
How important is Schenley Park to CMU? Schenley Park offers a type of respite and a kind of centering. A number of students and faculty have their meetings walking through the park, and have mini-retreats there. The park is the recreational focus of the university. What is your favorite Parks Conservancy project? It’s a tie. First is the Highland Park Entry Garden renovation. I’ve spent a great deal of time in Europe and I’m stunned by how European that space feels. And this is a qualitative thing, but I’m convinced that the space is perfectly designed. The other is the Environmental Center at Frick Park. Something dear to my wife’s heart is learning in informal spaces, and parks are an incredible opportunity to bring learning into the natural world. This project is a golden opportunity to have Pittsburgh become a leader in using its park system to change how children look at nature and their environment.
How do you envision technology being used at the new Environmental Center? Part of what makes nature compelling for learning is the sense of discovery and wonder. Technology is a looking glass to wonder and discover what’s special about things that might otherwise seem prosaic. I could imagine kids at the Environmental Center being able to document the park, using the Internet to report about what they’ve seen. How can technology enhancing people’s overall park experience? I envision a few things happening in the near term that are exciting. One is education technology in the park. Soon we’ll be able to walk through the park and get guided tours on our cell phones. We can dial a number and hear about the trees, the lichen, all the biodiversity, and have the experience of walking through the park with a really good docent. Another thing is technology’s impact on activities and socialization. Technology helps us interact. It may be easier to get a group of like-minded people to a walk in the park or to set up a play date using social networking.
How has the Robotics Institute brought together parks and technology? One project that has an application to the parks is GigaPan (a robotic camera mount that takeshundreds of photos which are then stitched together to form a high-resolution panorama). GigaPan takes pictures with so much resolution that you can dive in and see new details you hadn’t noticed before. You can talk to people around the world about what you’re seeing, down to how many bugs appear on a forest floor. For more of our interview with Illah, visit www.pittsburghparks.wordpress.com/illah.
The GigaPan The Parks Conservancy recently became a member of the GigaPan beta program, which means you can expect to see high-resolution panoramas of the Pittsburgh parks soon! We will be uploading photos to www.gigapan.org. To zoom in on Tom Lauwers' photo of Panther Hollow below, go to www.gigapan.org/viewGigapan.php?id=10623.
Volunteers Contribute More than 4,000 Hours to Parks By Erin Copeland Without our volunteers the parks of Pittsburgh would not look and function as they do today. This year our volunteer season began in early March and went through mid November. We removed invasive honeysuckle shrubs, planted trees in Frick Park, and we picked up a lot of trash and planted trees in Highland Park Volunteers for Pitt’s Make A Difference Day. Highland Park. We created many deer exclosures and planted trees in Riverview Park, up many of our individual volunteers. Additionally, they matched us to corporations who wanted to and we pulled garlic mustard and stabilized gullies work together as a group. For more information in Schenley Park. And our Urban EcoStewards please visit either www.pittsburghcares.org or have been working diligently on their sites within all www.pittsburghparks.org. four parks. All told, we worked with the following 23 During 2008, Pittsburgh Cares and the Parks organizations and groups and completed 4,350 Conservancy started a more intensive agency/ hours of volunteer service to make great strides coordinator relationship. We sent many volunteer in 2008. request forms to Pittsburgh Cares, and they signed MELISSA MCMASTERS
MELISSA MCMASTERS
By Melissa McMasters
Corporations ALCOA Deloitte Equitable Resources ASPIRE group Giant Eagle Perkins Eastman RISO Inc.
Community Groups Americorps Literacy Program CAPA High School CMU Tepper School of Business Ellis School Find the Rivers! Hill House Junior League of Pittsburgh Men’s Garden Club of Pittsburgh Penn State Cooperative Extension Pittsburgh Job Center Pittsburgh Zoo Steel City BioFuels Student Conservation Association Temple Sinai University of Pittsburgh English Language Institute University of Pittsburgh Make A Difference Day University of Pittsburgh Service Enacted through Nonreligious Students' Efforts
Page 8
The Voice
Non-Profit Org. U S POSTAGE
P A I D
PITTSBURGH, PA PERMIT NO 4906
Meg Cheever Honored
COURTESY OF GOVERNOR RENDELL’S OFFICE
By Laura Cook
Meg Cheever and First Lady of the Commonwealth of Pennsylvania Judge Marjorie Rendell at the Distinguished Daughters of Pennsylvania Award Ceremony.
Meg Cheever, President and CEO of the Pittsburgh Parks Conservancy, has been honored by Governor and Mrs. Rendell as a Distinguished Daughter of Pennsylvania. To be selected as a Distinguished Daughter, women must be nominated by organizations within the commonwealth for accomplishments of statewide or national importance. The Distinguished Daughters of 2008 were honored with medals and citations presented at the Governor’s Residence in Harrisburg on October 8, 2008.
A Wedding Gift to the Parks Penny Mateer and Randy Pearson love the Pittsburgh parks and especially their neighborhood park, Schenley Park. In fact, their first date was walking the Schenley trails. When Penny and Randy decided on a fall wedding, a “parks” wedding theme felt just right and Schenley Park Visitor Center the perfect site for their ceremony. When their guests opened Penny and Randy’s wedding invitation, a unique and lovely request unfolded. Rather than the usual wedding gifts, the couple requested guests make donations to the Pittsburgh Parks Conservancy to honor the occasion of Penny and Randy’s wedding. The couple is helping to support the restoration of Schenley, especially their favorite trails. They are looking forward to snowy days in the park and for Penny, a Pittsburgh fiber artist, winter holds another exciting option-- ice skating on a crisp, blue-sky day in Schenley. The Pittsburgh Parks Conservancy invites you to continue the work of restoring Pittsburgh’s historic park system for the benefit of all Pittsburghers and for those generations to come. The parks, which are free and accessible to all, benefit from the generosity of many who choose to honor a friend or a
special occasion. Also, you may wish to make a gift in memory of a loved one or a friend. Tuck a note into birthday, anniversary, get well or just “thinking about you” cards for special friends or family members and let them know that you have made a gift in their honor to the Parks Conservancy. To make a Tribute Gift, Randy Pearson and Penny Mateer smile for their guests at their simply send your donation wedding at the Schenley Park Visitor Center. and the details of your gift to the Pittsburgh Parks Conservancy, 2000 Technology Drive, Suite 300, Pittsburgh, PA 15219. For more information, please call Lisa Conti at the Pittsburgh Parks Conservancy at 412-682-7275, extension 211.
COURTESY OF RANDY PEARSON
By Mary Kay Poppenberg