May 3, 2023 Ultimate Play Day Returns to Pittsburgh on Sunday, May 7 Playful Pittsburgh Collaborative, alongside event partners Trying Together, Citiparks, and ZeroFossil, will host its annual Ultimate Play Day from 1 – 4 p.m. on Sunday, May 7. Ultimate Play Day is an opportunity for people throughout the Pittsburgh region to gather together, play together, and raise awareness of the benefits of play for everyone. This year, Ultimate Play Day will be held at Lower McKinley Park in the Beltzhoover/Knoxville area of Pittsburgh. Local partners and community organizations offer play activities for all ages each year. This year, more than 28 vendors are participating with hands-on playful activities, entertainment, and refreshments. Attendees will have the opportunity to participate in a variety of “playful” activities from vendors, including ultimate frisbee, basketball, soccer, imagination/dramatic play with costumes, bean bag toss, oversized classic games like Connect 4 and Jenga, and plenty of arts and crafts projects. Share the Ultimate Play Day flyer with your friends, family, and neighbors! Ultimate Play Day is a part of Remake Learning Days. Remake Learning Days returns to Southwestern PA May 4 – May 23, 2023. A special thank you to Remake Learning for providing a mini-grant to The Collaborative for Ultimate Play Day. SLB Radio Ultimate Play Day Interview Playful Pittsburgh Collaborative was a special guest on the Neighborhood Voices show, hosted by The Saturday Light Brigade, to talk about Ultimate Play Day! Assistant Director of Playful Pittsburgh Collaborative Adam James and Nicole Stevens from Beltzhoover Consensus Group joined SLB Radio to talk about this special day of play, why play is important for everyone, and how this event will connect neighbors throughout the City of Pittsburgh. Visit the Ultimate Play Day webpage to listen to this interview. Getting to Ultimate Play Day Ultimate Play Day is the same day as the Pittsburgh Marathon. That means there will be adjusted traffic patterns to be aware of, but that won’t stop the fun! You can find additional directions to get to Lower McKinley Park on the Ultimate Play Day webpage. Check out this map provided by the Pittsburgh Marathon to check the rolling road closures and openings on Sunday, May 7. Lower McKinley Park Learn more about Lower McKinley Park and its history before Ultimate Play Day. Check out this informational flyer on McKinley Park from Pittsburgh Parks Conservancy. Remake Learning Days Remake Learning Days hosts 1200+ learning events reaching 150,000 families. The festival features events across the southwestern PA region for youth, families, grandparents, caregivers and educators to explore creative and fun ways of learning. For more information, visit remakelearningdays.org/southwesternpa. Playful Pittsburgh Collaborative Playful Pittsburgh Collaborative is a group of organizations dedicated to advancing the importance of play in the lives of children, families, and communities in the Pittsburgh region by raising awareness on play being a critical life element for people of all ages, educating decision-makers (from parents to legislators) to support access to play for all, and modeling play through various recreational and professional activities. For more information, visit playfulpittsburgh.org.
March 21, 2023 Playful Pittsburgh Collaborative Lytle Land / Elizabeth Street Parklet Clean-Up Day Join Playful Pittsburgh Collaborative, Landforce, Rising Tide, and Hazelwood Initiative, Inc. for a day of community clean up at Lytle Land and the Elizabeth Street Parklet. There will be jobs for all ages, skill sets, and abilities. Lunch will be provided following the clean-up! Please email playfulpgh@tryingtogether.org if you have any questions about this community clean-up day. When: Saturday, April 1, 2023 | 10 a.m. – 3 p.m. Where: Hazelwood, 5113 Lytle Street, Pittsburgh, PA 15207 Share the flyer with your networks.
May 15, 2020 Changes Made to Summer Activities During COVID-19 Pandemic On May 15, the City of Pittsburgh announced how summer activities will be impacted by the ongoing COVID-19 pandemic. While many activities will be allowed, others will be cancelled or postponed. All decisions follow federal and state guidelines. About In a City press release, Mayor William Peduto praised Pittsburgh residents, stating, that “Pittsburgh residents have done a great job during these trying times staying safe and looking out for each other.” However, he recognized that the battle against COVID-19 is far from over, and social distancing and other measures must remain in place to win this fight. With a larger number of residents venturing outdoors as the weather warms, the City has outlined lists of activities that will or will not be permitted during the pandemic. Decisions on closures and activities may be revisited as pandemic circumstances and federal and state guidelines change. Permitted Summer Activities Activities that can safely comply with Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) social distancing guidelines will be allowed. Permitted activities include the following: Drive-in movies (by the Special Events office) Farmers Markets Pickup of bulk trash Road closures in City parks (more information below) Tennis courts (singles matches encouraged) Pickleball courts (singles matches encouraged) Skate parks Fields (but not for organized group sports) Frisbee Golf Lawn Bowling Bocce Expanded summer food program (likely to begin June 15) City crews are working to reopen facilities starting May 15 and will continue their work into next week. Drive-in movies organized by the Special Events office will begin June 13. More information will be released later. Farmer’s Markets will begin June 3 in Carrick and begin in other neighborhoods thereafter. Social distancing and safe purchasing requirements will be in place. Non-Permitted Summer Activities Large group events that cannot safely comply with social distancing will not be allowed. Non-permitted activities include the following: July 4 fireworks City-sponsored concerts 5Ks, the Great Race and other races (though they can be held virtually) Summer Camps Citiparks summer youth baseball Summer Line Dancing Pistons in the Park Playgrounds, park shelters, and spray parks will remain closed until further notice. Swimming pools (including the Oliver Bath House) will also remain closed. While the CDC says that swimming itself is safe, the guidelines require at least six feet of distance between users and no more than ten people would be allowed at any time. It has been determined that city pool waiting areas, locker rooms, and lounging areas are too cramped to allow for appropriate distancing under these guidelines. Activities To Be Determined Final decisions on other activities and facilities have not yet been made, including decisions on the following: Recreation centers Senior Healthy Active Living centers Block party permits Mellon Tennis Bubble Art Cart Water fountains and water features Park restrooms Organized group sports including deck hockey, soccer, baseball, and basketball DOMI Task Force The City Department of Mobility and Infrastructure (DOMI) has established a task force to study methods of using some streets and sidewalks to allow for safe recreation and business activity. Its recommendations will be issued soon. In the meantime, plans are underway to close some streets in City parks to vehicular traffic. No timetables are yet set, but plans are for the following closures: Sheraden Park: Adon Street West End Park: West End Park Drive at Weaver and Herschel Highland Park: Reservoir Drive; Farmhouse Drive at Jackson Street/Connecting Road/Heberton/Grafton (These will be partial closures to allow for Pittsburgh Water and Sewer Authority access to facilities.) More Information For more information, read the full press release. *Information provided by the City of Pittsburgh
February 20, 2020 Nurturing Connection to Nature for Health and Wellness Join APOST and Pittsburgh Parks Rx at the Frick Environmental Center on February 28 to learn how spending time in nature can support physical and mental wellness. About Attend this workshop to explore how to plan engaging experiences that nurture a connection to nature by incorporating active play and mindful reflection. Participants will try out activities, share ideas, and receive tools and resources to help you connect youth with nature in parks or any outdoor space! A light lunch will be provided and free parking will be available on site. Registration To register, visit the Eventbrite page. More Information For more information, contact APOST at 412.456.6876.
September 4, 2019 Kids and Caregivers Nature Walk in Frick Park Kids and caregivers are invited to join the Nine Mile Run Watershed Association for an interactive, kid-friendly nature walk in Frick Park. Participants will meet at the soccer field at the end of the Fern Hollow parking lot, located at the bottom of Lancaster Avenue. Registration To register, visit the event webpage. Learn More For more information, contact Lindsey-Rose Flowers at lindsey.rose@ninemilerun.org or 412.371.8779, ext. 123.
August 20, 2019 RADical Days Returns With 25 Days of Free Events Celebrating the Allegheny Regional Asset District’s (RAD) 25th year, RADical Days is returning to Pittsburgh this September and October, featuring 25 days of free activities! About Established by the Allegheny Regional Asset District (RAD), RADical Days describes these events as “an annual thank you to the public,” featuring free admission, tours, performances, and family activities offered by organizations and attractions funded by RAD. RAD’s mission is to support and finance regional assets in the areas of libraries, parks, recreation, cultural, sports, and civic facilities and programs. In 2019, RAD adopted a $108.6 million budget serving 104 regional assets. Some 31% of the funding will go to support libraries; 31% to parks, trails and other green spaces; 13% to sports and civic facilities; 13% to arts and culture organizations; 8% to regional facilities (Zoo, Aviary, Phipps Conservatory); and 3% to transit. Event Overview RADical Days 2019 features many events, including free admission to: the Andy Warhol Museum, Carnegie Science Center, Children’s Museum & Museum Lab, Frick Pittsburgh Heinz History Center, Hill Dance Academy Theatre, National Aviary, Pittsburgh Ballet Theatre, Pittsburgh Botanic Garden, Saturday Light Brigade Radio, and more! Schedule To see a full RADical Days 2019 schedule, visit their website or download their PDF! Learn More To learn more about RAD and RADical Days, visit their website! *Information provided by RADical Days
August 19, 2019 Hazelwood Community to Celebrate Elizabeth Street Park Opening The Playful Pittsburgh Collaborative and Trying Together, in cooperation with the City of Pittsburgh, invite community members and stakeholders to celebrate the official opening of the Elizabeth Street Park in Hazelwood on Wednesday, August 28. About Located on the corner of Roma Way and Gloster Street, the Elizabeth Street Park was revitalized thanks to a grant from the Heinz Endowments. Working in partnership with the City of Pittsburgh’s Department of Public Works and Department of Mobility and Infrastructure, the Playful Pittsburgh Collaborative, and Trying Together contracted with various entities to design and create the park. Efforts for the park began in March 2015, born out of a community conversation around access to play in Hazelwood. Youth, community members, and community stakeholders joined together to brainstorm and design the park as a stop along the Hazelwood Play Trail. The location of the park was selected to help bridge the division created by the train tracks that split Hazelwood. Located across Roma Way from a KaBOOM! community-built playground, created with funds from the Heinz Endowments and partnership between the Playful Pittsburgh Collaborative, Trying Together, and the Hazelwood Initiative in September 2016, the park features a beautiful mural inspired by the rich history and community members of Hazelwood. The City’s Public Art & Civic Design Division released a Request for Proposals (RFP) to identify artists to complete the mural on the bridge, with the highest score going to local artists Edith Abeyta and Sandy Kessler-Kaminski. Event Details Community members are invited to join together at the Elizabeth Street Park on August 28 from 5 to 7:00 p.m. for an opening celebration and ribbon-cutting ceremony, featuring: food, family-friendly games, music from the Center of Life’s KRUNK program, and Hazelwood-relevant information tables. Visit the event page to learn more. Acknowledgments The Playful Pittsburgh Collaborative and Trying Together thank the following organizations, individuals, and entities for their dedicated support and for the work they have done to make this project a success: the City of Pittsburgh’s Department of Public Works, Department of Mobility and Infrastructure, Department of Public Safety, Department of City Planning, and Art Commission; Zone 4 Police; the Office of Corey O’Connor; the Hazelwood Initiative; the Heinz Endowments; Studio for Spatial Practice; 1 over 1 Studio; Edith Abeyta; Sandy Kessler-Kaminski; Eisler Landscapes; and the Student Conservation Association of Pittsburgh. More Information For more information, contact Sarah Siplak at 412.567.4386 or sarahs@tryingtogether.org. Share this flyer with your network.
Elizabeth Street Park and Mural Ribbon-Cutting Join the Playful Pittsburgh Collaborative on August 28 to celebrate the opening of the Elizabeth Street Park and the completion of a new, playful mural in Hazelwood! About On August 28, the Playful Pittsburgh Collaborative will host a free, public event in Hazelwood to celebrate the Elizabeth Street Park opening. The event will feature: a mural ribbon-cutting ceremony, family-friendly games, live music, food, and more! Learn More For more information, contact Sarah Siplak at 412.567.4386 or sarahs@tryingtogether.org. Share this flyer with your network.
August 14, 2019 Nature in Your Neighborhood Join the Pittsburgh Parks Conservancy on August 23 for “Nature in Your Neighborhood” to experience nature in Homewood and in nearby areas. For this event, community members are invited to explore Frick Park while enjoying nature hikes and activities. Bring your group, your camera, and your curiosity! Lunch will be provided. Registration is required and limited to 4o participants. Registration To register, contact Sarah Byrne-Houser via email at sarah@tryingtogether.org. Registrations must include: the number of adults attending, the number of children attending, the name of the program (if applicable), a phone number, and any dietary restrictions. More Information For more information, contact the Pittsburgh Parks Conservancy at 412.682.7275.
July 9, 2019 Back-to-School Bash Join the Latino Community Center on August 24 for their Back to School Bash at PNC Park! About The Back-to-School Bash is a great opportunity for both parents and providers! For parents, celebrate the day with your children and enjoy live music, activities, and food while learning about programs available in your region! For providers, enjoy the day while connecting with the Latino community! Activities The event will feature: a book bag and school supply giveaway, children’s activities, a DJ, a meet and greet with the Pirates, a taco bar, and more! Learn More To learn more and ask questions, email Emily Blair at eblair@latinocommunitycenter.org. Interested in hosting a table at the event? Click here to register.
