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Take the New Audio Tour at Carol R. Brown Sculpture Garden at Hartwood Acres
Last month, we shared the exciting launch of the Carol R. Brown Sculpture Garden audio tour at Hartwood Acres Park. If you haven’t had a chance to explore it yet, now’s the perfect time and our newest blog post can help you plan your visit!
“This free, self-guided audio tour brings a new depth of knowledge and understanding to this incredible collection,” said Joey-Linn Ulrich, Executive Director at the Parks Foundation. “By making it free and easy to access, we’re inviting more people to experience world-class public art, beautifully intermixed with nature, right here in our county parks.”
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Staff Outing: An Afternoon Together at Kentuck Knob
In June, our team took a break from the usual routine to explore a local architectural gem, Frank Lloyd Wright's Kentuck Knob. Nestled in the Laurel Highlands, the site offered us the chance to connect with one another outside of the office and appreciate the home's seamless blend of art, nature and design. The outing was not only a refreshing change of pace, but also a great reminder of the value of creativity and thoughtful planning principles that have been shaping our work at the Parks Foundation.
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Latodami Nature Center Master Site Plan & Barn Feasibility Study
We've officially kicked off the Latodami Nature Center Master Site Plan and Barn Feasibility Study in North Park! At the first planning meeting, we gathered with Allegheny County, Buchart Horn Architects, and Pashek+MTR to begin assessing the grounds, buildings, and programming that currently define Latodami. Thanks to generous support from FedEx, North Area Environmental Council, Public Lands Fund and Allegheny County, these reports are on track for completion later this year. This effort will help guide future improvements that enhance environmental education, visitor access and community use at the Latodami Nature Center in North Park.
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FedEx Tree Planting in Settlers Cabin Park
On June 18, we teamed up with FedEx volunteers to plant 14 native redbud trees at Settlers Cabin Park as part of our Park Entrance Enhancements project. This small but mighty crew made the park’s entrance more welcoming, sustainable, and better equipped to manage stormwater runoff. Earlier this spring, professional landscapers also planted 11 large conifers as a part of this project. Together, this diverse mix of trees will create new habitat for the animals and insects that call Settlers Cabin Park home. We would like to extend a huge thank you to the hard-working volunteers and to FedEx for funding for this project, which was a recommendation in the Ecological Assessment and Action Plan for Settlers Cabin Park. Thanks also to the Allegheny County Parks Department for their partnership on this planting.
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Twilight Picnic for the Parks is Back Near the Mansion!
Twilight Picnic for the Parks, presented by UPMC Health Plan, will take place at the Great Lawn in front of the Mansion at Hartwood Acres Park on Saturday, August 16. Join us as we come together for an enchanted evening amidst the luster of twilight in support of the parks that provide recreation, relaxation and serenity to so many of us.
All proceeds from this event support our goal to accomplish transformative projects so that our county parks retain their significance to the economic, social and environmental vitality of our shared region. Since its inception in 2017, Twilight Picnic for the Parks has raised over $3 million to improve, conserve and restore the nine Allegheny County Parks. Get your tickets and make an impact on your parks!
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Save-the-Date
Join us on Saturday, October 11 in North Park for Park 'til Dark and Pour at the Park! Registration will open on Monday, August 11. Stay tuned for more details!
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“It was a rainy, magical day walking through Hartwood Acres Park, listening to our work come to life.”
We were thrilled to see a behind-the-scenes look at the making of the Carol R. Brown Sculpture Garden Audio Tour, by Bright Archives, who created the audio recordings for our self-guided tour. We love seeing this project through their eyes and ears! Big thanks to Katherine Barbera, David Bernabo (pictured), and voice actor Kelsey Robinson (pictured) for bringing stories to the sculptures.
Bright Archives is an independent archival production house. Learn more about their work by reading the project Case Study.
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Special Collections and Recycling
Our friends at the Pennsylvania Resources Council are offering Glass Recycling from July 12-24 in Hartwood Acres Park. Learn more about their event collections in your parks!
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Two Face 10K in North Park
GCXC has graciously chosen the Allegheny County Parks Foundation to be the charity partner of two of their races this summer. The first race took place this past weekend, but there is still time to train for their Two Face 10K on Saturday, August 2, in North Park. The event is a dual race combining a 10K road race and a 10K trail race. Register now!
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July Park Ranger
Featured Event
This July, join the Park Rangers to learn about Beaver Habitats in Round Hill Park on July 9, from 6:30 - 8:30 pm. Learn more about this event or discover all of Allegheny County events HERE!
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Donate to our Tree Program in Support of Healthy Streams!
Why are streams so important? Boyce Park’s streams provide crucial water filtration and wildlife habitat for insects, aquatic organisms and us. Our recent streams assessment, which studied over 3 miles of water in Boyce Park, found areas where pollution and runoff are negatively impacting water quality. Luckily, trees are nature’s best defense! By planting trees along Boyce Park’s Pierson Run pollutants can be filtered, flooding can be reduced and the water can become cleaner for everyone. Help improve our streams by donating to our Tree Program today and learn more about our streams assessments.
📸 Photo by Rogerio Arns Neumann during live staking in Boyce Park.
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Boyce Park | Deer Lakes Park | Harrison Hills Park | Hartwood Acres Park
North Park | Round Hill Park | Settlers Cabin Park | South Park | White Oak Park
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