July 2, 2024 Cross & Strauss Playground Opens on Pittsburgh’s North Side Pittsburgh Mayor Ed Gainey and city officials celebrated the opening last week of the Cross & Strauss Playground on Pittsburgh’s North Side. Learn More The new playground includes two separate play areas aimed at children between the ages of two to five years and five-12 years, respectively. Additionally, there are swings, picnic tables, a poured-in-place safety surface, and a half basketball court. “Playgrounds are part of a community’s effort to nurture our children in becoming better adults,” Gainey said. “So that when they grow up, they understand how to work together with people who have different ideas and that’s what we have right here. Everyone came together because we knew we needed a playground and we made it happen and that is the power of community and collaboration.” The new playground is part of a larger effort to re-invest in the Charles Street Area of the North Side, which has seen generational disinvestment. Other efforts in the area include traffic calming, new trash cans, and the Fowler Park & Pool. The playground was selected as a U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development CHOICE project for early action projects that serve the Allegheny Dwellings Community. It was done in partnership with the Charles Street Area Corporation, Perry Hilltop/Fineview Citizens Council, and Tthe Buhl Foundation.
June 3, 2024 Pittsburgh Spray Parks Open for Season Pittsburgh’s spray parks and playgrounds with spray features are now open for the summer. Learn More Attendees do not need to have swimming skills to enjoy the spray parks, which are accessible to smaller toddlers to pre-teens. Weather permitting, the spray parks’ hours will be 10 a.m. to 8 p.m. daily through mid-September. The city’s spray parks include: Arlington – Arlington Playground, 1523 Fernleaf St. Beechview – Vanucci Playground, 1295 Orangewood Ave. Burgwin – Burgwin Playground/Burgwin Field, 328 Mansion St. Chartiers – Chartiers Park, 3793 Chartiers Ave. East Hills – East Hills Park, 2300 Wilner Drive Paulson – Paulson Playground, 1300 Paulson Ave. Shadyside – Mellon Park, 6601 Fifth Ave. Troy Hill – Cowley Playground, 1200 Goettman St. Warrington – Beltzhoover, 329 Warrington Ave. The city’s playgrounds with spray features include: Armstrong, Chadwick, Eileen McCoy, Frazier, Garland, Heth’s, Joe Natoli, Kennard, Larimer, Liberty Green Park, Leslie Park, Marmaduke, Moore Park, Nelson Mandela, Osceola, Springhill, Swisshelm Park, Wabash Park, and West Penn Park. For more information, visit the city’s spray parks web page.
