For the Love of Parks

Pittsburgh Parks Conservancy
For the Love of Parks

For the Love of Parks is an original podcast series created by the Pittsburgh Parks Conservancy to celebrate the nonprofit's 25th-anniversary. The 12-episode series will highlight the Parks Conservancy's impact on the region for the past 25 years through unique stories told by past and current members of the organization, local community leaders, and Pittsburghers that cherish their beloved green spaces.

  1. 02/14/2022

    The Secret Life of Frick Park

    We’re counting down the top five most surprising and interesting things about Pittsburgh's largest regional park. Loved by hikers, bikers, birders, and nature lovers of all ages, Frick Park is also home to the Frick Environmental Center. Throughout this episode, you'll also hear Pittsburghers' reflections about the Fern Hollow Bridge collapse.

    45 min

  2. 02/07/2022

    A Work in Progress: Lawrenceville's Arsenal Park

    Arsenal Park is a place where solemnity and joy sit side by side. It was the site of the largest single loss of civilian life during the Civil War. 78 people were killed  - most were women and children. And even though some of the historical structures from that time remain, many who use the park today have no idea about its history. The tragedy that happened there has been overshadowed by new memories. That’s something a park is particularly good at  – creating new stories.  For the past seven years, the citizens of Lawrenceville have been engaged in a master plan for their beloved park that they hope will honor its past and reimagine its future. But  Arsenal Park is still in that sometimes rocky period of going from vision to reality.

    18 min

  3. 02/07/2022

    Landslides, Deer, Crazy Jumping Worms, Vines: The Ecological Threats Facing Riverview Park

    We are back in Riverview Park for this episode and the story we want to tell this time is about the very serious ecological threats facing many of our city parks, especially this one. Any geologist will tell you that the geology of Pittsburgh, and especially Riverview Park, is unstable shale. That makes conditions even more favorable than usual for landslides. But there are many other ecological threats facing Riverview. And we’re going to hear about those from Robin Eng, the Ecological Project Manager for the Pittsburgh Parks Conservancy.  Robin was born and raised in the Pittsburgh area and has always felt at home in the forests of Western Pennsylvania - including the urban ones. She went to the University of Pittsburgh, where she studied both Ecology & Evolution and Philosophy.  Later, she got a master’s degree in Wildlife Biology and Conservation. Robin’s work in both forest ecology and wildlife biology makes her particularly good at understanding and explaining the factors that contribute to a healthy ecosystem. We met up with Robin in Riverview Park to talk more about landslides, the out-of-control deer, crazy jumping worms, vines — all of it.

    24 min

  4. 01/31/2022 · BONUS

    BONUS EPISODE: Back to the Beginning

    We are hard at work on the next few episodes (did you hear about the bridge collapse?). In the meantime, please listen back to our very first episode to hear how it all began. The Parks Conservancy might feel like an institution today, but in many ways, we are still a grassroots organization full of dedicated volunteers. As we celebrate our 25th anniversary, learn the origin story of the Pittsburgh Parks Conservancy and how one woman's idea led to a unique public-interest partnership that has changed Pittsburgh in so many positive ways.

    44 min

  5. 01/24/2022

    The Finest Breathing Room in the City

    The reservoir at Highland Park was built in 1879, and the park was officially created around it about 20 years later. It was the brainchild of Edward Bigelow, Pittsburgh’s first Director of Public Works, who called it the 'finest breathing room in the city.' On any given day, you will meet people there from all over the region. And one of the reasons it is such a popular place for walking is because of the reservoir - there’s just something about being in the sight of water that draws people in. But this reservoir - there’s a story there.

    21 min

  6. 01/17/2022

    McKinley Park: Community is Key

    McKinley Park is one of the oldest parks in Pittsburgh. As far back as people can remember, McKinley has been the backdrop of picnics, fish frys, family reunions, parades, concerts and childhood memories. In contrast to how large McKinley Park looms in the lives of community members, a lot of Pittsburghers have never even heard of it. And in some ways, people on the Hilltop feel forgotten.

    32 min

  7. 01/10/2022

    From Parking Lot to Park: The Story of Schenley Plaza

    A secret marriage. Steamships racing across the Atlantic. An incredible gift of land. That’s how the story of Schenley Park begins. Edward Bigelow, known as the "father of Pittsburgh Parks," had always hoped that Schenley Park would have a grand entrance. And that's what Schenley Plaza was designed to be. But it took a while for the area to become what it is today, the green heart of Oakland. And even though it might feel like the front lawn of the University of Pittsburgh, Schenley Plaza is actually a part of Schenley Park and managed by the Pittsburgh Parks Conservancy under a long-term contract with the city.

    26 min

  8. 11/08/2021

    Celebrating August Wilson in a Hill District Park

    August Wilson grew up practically next door to the park that now bears his name. And from August Wilson Park, you can experience one of the most spectacular views in the entire city and see art from Alisha Wormsley and Teenie Harris. This is the first park project to be based on the Greenprint for the Hill District, by Walter Hood Design Studio. The Greenprint's aim is to reconnect Hill District residents to their unique landscape and the neighborhood to the city as a whole. Ultimately, it envisions the Hill as a ‘Village in the Woods’ above the Allegheny and Monongahela rivers. The idea was to make the landscape of the Hill work better for the people who live there, in the ways they already use it. And to communicate that the Hill is a good and decent place, with good and decent people.  Read the full Greenprint for the Hill District. Learn more about August Wilson Park.

    30 min
See All (13)

5
out of 5
13 Ratings

About

For the Love of Parks is an original podcast series created by the Pittsburgh Parks Conservancy to celebrate the nonprofit's 25th-anniversary. The 12-episode series will highlight the Parks Conservancy's impact on the region for the past 25 years through unique stories told by past and current members of the organization, local community leaders, and Pittsburghers that cherish their beloved green spaces.

Information

  • Creator
    Pittsburgh Parks Conservancy
  • Years Active
    2021 - 2022
  • Episodes
    13
  • Rating
    Clean
  • Copyright
    © 2021
  • Show Website
    For the Love of Parks

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