Photo by Jon Pratt.  Pratt has been documenting Pittsburgh Mountain Biking on his website since 2002.

2010 Regional Parks Master Plan Update

If you use the parks, it is important that the Pittsburgh Parks Conservancy knows how you use the parks and what concerns you may have.   Please submit your comments to this Regional Parks Master Plan Update.  Master Plans are only updated every decade or so, so don’t miss out.  There will be a series of Public Meetings as well as an opportunity to submit comments online.  If you want to attend any of the public meetings, you need to register first.  Keep reading and follow the link below to register.

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The Pittsburgh Regional Parks Master Plan was developed by the Pittsburgh Parks Conservancy and the City of Pittsburgh with tremendous public input. Originally released in 2000, the plan is a 20-year blueprint for park restoration and prioritizes park capital and ecological restoration projects in Frick, Highland, Riverview, and Schenley Parks totaling more than $113 million.

The Master Plan contains a history of each park, environmental conditions, and recommendations for future projects and maintenance.

The plan can be downloaded in full by clicking here (PDF file).  Right-click and save it to your desktop, as it is a 12.6 MB file!

The Update:

Plans are currently underway to update the Master Plan with new projects that have become priorities over the past 10 years.  A series of public meetings will be held to gather input from the communities surrounding each regional park.  Meeting attendees will learn about the progress made towards achieving goals set in the original plan.  An open discussion about current use of the parks, environmental conditions, and park stewardship will be followed by a mobile workshop that will lead attendees to specific park locations for a hands-on opportunity to explore park amenities or challenges and provide comments on them.  Transportation to and from the original location will be provided for all mobile workshops.

Meetings are scheduled near each of the four large regional parks.  The discussion begins at 9:00am with the mobile workshop leaving the meeting place at 10:45am and returning by 12:30pm.  Attendees should pre-register using the form at the bottom of this page or by calling 412-682-7275, ext. 227 to guarantee adequate transportation for the mobile workshops.  Light refreshments will be provided.  Walking shoes and weather-appropriate attire are recommended.

If you are unable to attend a meeting, please feel free to share your thoughts on what the parks mean to you, what needs to be repaired, and what’s working well in our online feedback forum at www.pittsburghparks.yuku.com.

Meeting dates and locations:

Frick Park
Saturday, October 2, 2010
Colfax Elementary School
2332 Beechwood Boulevard
Pittsburgh, PA 15217

9:00am: Master Plan overview and dialogue about current and future needs in Frick Park
10:45am: Mobile workshop: People and Nature – Finding the Balance

Schenley Park
Saturday, October 23, 2010
Pittsburgh Science and Technology Academy
107 Thackeray Ave.
Pittsburgh, PA 15213

9:00am: Master Plan overview and dialogue about current and future needs in Schenley Park
10:45am: Mobile workshop: Taming the Car for More Enjoyable Recreation

Riverview Park
Saturday, October 30, 2010
Pittsburgh Perry High School
3875 Perrysville Ave.
Pittsburgh, PA 15214

9:00am: The session will begin with an overview of the 1999 Regional Parks Master Plan, followed by an open dialogue about current and future needs in Riverview Park.
10:45am: Mobile workshop: Discovering New Destinations

Highland Park
Saturday, November 6, 2010
Pittsburgh Fulton PreK-5
5799 Hampton Street
Pittsburgh, PA 15206

9:00am: Master Plan overview and dialogue about current and future needs in Highland Park
10:45am: Mobile workshop: Reclaiming Lost Uses – Lake Carnegie and Beyond

Click here for more information and to register

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Not a member of BikePGH? Join today! We need you to add your voice! Bike Pittsburgh works to protect cyclist’s rights and promote the vision of making Pittsburgh a safer and more enjoyable place to live and to ride. For more info, check out: www.bike-pgh.org/membership