May 2, 2019 Pitch, Hit, and Run: Baseball & Softball Citisports, in conjunction with the Pittsburgh Pirates and Major League Baseball, will host Pitch, Hit, and Run (PHR)—the Official Skills Competition of Major League Baseball. About the Competition This local competition will take place on May 4, 2019, from 10:00 a.m. to noon at McGibbney Field in Brookline Memorial Park. This competition is open to children ages 7 to 14. Pitch, Hit and Run will then continue with the Sectional Competition on Saturday, May 18, 2019—10 a.m. to noon, again at McGibbney Field. Participants in PHR have the opportunity to advance all the way to the National Finals during MLB All-Star Week! Citiparks’ Roving Art Car will also be at the field with baseball crafts for the kids beginning at noon. Kick-Off Game After the competition, teams will begin vying for the Mayor’s Cup Trophy with a kick-off game on Saturday, May 4, 2019, at noon. This season-opening game will feature the Pony AA Teams from Brookline and the 14th Ward. These two teams faced each other at the end of the 2018 Season in the Mayor’s Cup Championship at PNC Park with the 14th Ward coming out on top. This is going to be a great kick-off game for the 2019 Season! Registration To register for this competition or for questions, please contact the Citiparks-Citisports Division at 412.488.8397 or citisports@pittsburgh.pa. *Information provided by the City of Pittsburgh
February 4, 2019 Pittsburgh Launching New Book Gifting Program With support from The Benter Foundation, Pittsburgh Mayor Bill Peduto’s administration plans to launch a free book program for children from birth to age five. Tomorrow, Pittsburgh City Council will introduce legislation to accept $250,000 from the foundation, introducing Dolly Parton’s Imagination Library program to the city. Since starting in 1995, this program has sent more than 113 million books for free, to children in the United States, Australia, Canada, and the United Kingdom. The Role That Access Plays Studies of the Imagination Library have discovered: Parents believed their children were more interested in reading when receiving the books every month Parents read aloud to their children more often Children were excited when books arrived in their name Positive views of the program transcended demographics and longer participation provided better outcomes The City’s Role The Imagination Library covers overhead costs, databases, monthly mailings, and a book selection committee. The City of Pittsburgh, as an affiliate of the Imagination Library, would cover the ongoing costs for mailing each book every month, as well as enrollment and promotional activities. Once funding is approved, outreach and communication plans will be launched, as well as engaging with local organizations that work with young children and families. Quotes from the Partnership Tiffini Simoneaux, manager of the City’s Office of Early Childhood in Mayor Peduto’s Bureau of Neighborhood Empowerment: “Research shows that early literary experiences, including access to books in the home, are fundamental ingredients for academic success. This program will enable young children throughout the city to build a home library of up to 60 books.” Bill Benter, president of The Benter Foundation: “We’re pleased to partner with the City of Pittsburgh and other community allies to help children develop a lifelong love of reading. Having your own books at home unlocks a new world of learning and language that can help Pittsburgh’s children thrive.” *Information provided by the City of Pittsburgh
November 29, 2018 Tickets for Kids Book Club Tickets for Kids and the Sto-Rox Library announced the discussion dates for their new collaborative book club. The book chosen by their group is: “Evicted: Poverty and Profit in the American City” by Matthew Desmond. Winner of the Pulitzer Prize, this book was also the One Book One Community choice of the University of Pittsburgh’s School of Public Health. If you would like to attend, RSVP to Jennifer Gray by email (jgray@forstorox.org) or phone (412.771.1222). Parking is located in the parking lot on the side of the building, PNC parking lot after banking hours, or on the street. Discussion Dates Discussions will be held at the Sto-Rox Library on the following dates: December 10, 2018: 4-5:30 PM February 11, 2019: 6-7:30 PM April 8, 2019: 6-7:30 PM June 10, 2019: 6-7:30 PM About the Book “Evicted” by Matthew Desmond describes the plight of poor families who, for want of a few dollars, are forced to move from their homes, apartments, or trailers. An ethnographer, Desmond shares the intimate vicissitudes of his subject/friends as they struggle to make ends meet while negotiating a bewildering system of slumlords, public agencies, law enforcement, and courts, a system that seems almost designed to reinforce a downward spiral of poverty. The consequences of eviction are especially felt by mothers with young children, whose development is jeopardized by substandard housing, low-quality neighborhoods, and poor nutrition. *Information provided by Tickets for Kids Charities and Pitt Public Health*
Skate with Santa at the Schenley Park Ice Skating Rink Looking to celebrate the holiday spirit with your young children? Enjoy a special opportunity to take to the ice with Santa Claus just days before Christmas! Bring along the kids and the camera to capture these holiday memories at the Schenley Ice Skating Rink. This event includes great music and the chance to skate outdoors in beautiful Schenley Park. For more information, call 412-422-6523 or visit www.pittsburghpa.gov/schenley/rink. Admission Costs Adults: $5 Seniors: $4 Veterans with ID: $4 Youth (17 and under): $3 Skate Rentals: $3 Skate Sharpening: $5 Schenley Skating Rink accepts credit cards, Google Pay and Apple Pay.
Schenley Park Skating Rink Open for Season Sharpen and your skates and get ready to enjoy another action-packed season of ice skating at the Schenley Park Skating Rink. The City of Pittsburgh’s outdoor rink is now open and offers a variety of skating sessions, lessons, and special events. Special Sessions The rink operates seven days a week and offers a variety of public sessions and lessons, including: Family Skate: Thursdays from 6:30 – 9 p.m. One child free with each paying adult (adult admission $5). All children must be accompanied by paying adults. College ID Sessions: Tuesdays from 9:30 – 11:30 p.m.; Wednesdays from 1:30 – 3:30 p.m.; and Sundays from 7 – 9 p.m. Present a valid college ID and save one dollar on admission (college student admission $4 during these sessions). Adults Only Sessions (18+): Tuesdays, Fridays and Saturdays 9:30 – 11:30 p.m. Special Events Over the winter, the rink will host several special events including: Skate with Santa Sunday, December 16 (1:30 – 3:30 p.m.) Mascot Skate Saturday, January 12 (1:30 – 3:30 p.m.) Disco Night Saturday, February 2 (9:30 – 11:30 p.m.) – adults only Valentines On Ice Thursday, February 14, (7 – 10 p.m.) – adults only Admission Costs Admission to the Schenley Park Skating Rink is $5 for adults, $4 for seniors, $4 for veterans, and $3 for children 17 years old or younger. Skate rental is $3 and skate sharpening is $5. Schenley Skating Rink accepts credit cards, Google Pay and Apple Pay. For more information, call 412-422-6523 or visit www.pittsburghpa.gov/schenley/rink. *Information provided by The City of Pittsburgh*
November 7, 2018 The Paulson Recreation Center Reopens in Lincoln-Lemington The City of Pittsburgh announced that the Paulson Recreation Center in Lincoln-Lemington is reopening today, November 7, 2018, after undergoing three months of renovations. While the center is reopened for all residents – including popular afterschool activities for area youth – further improvements will be made to the building through the rest of the year. Improvements completed and underway include: Complete new HVAC/heating & cooling system Two new roofs–flat roof portion of building and pitched roof portion of building Repointing and restoring of the block side of the building: painting and waterproofing Addition of new windows to main teaching room of building New ventilation system added to kitchen Interior repainting New concrete steps and entryway New doors coming in late December and new Rec Center sign coming soon Gym floor stripped, scrubbed and refurbished The budget for the work was $432,986.90. Interested in Visiting? The Paulson Rec Center is located at 1201 Paulson Avenue and is open 12-8 p.m., Monday through Friday. The center can be reached by telephone at 412.665.3627. *Information Provided by The City of Pittsburgh‘s November 7, 2018 Press Release*
