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Sculpture Garden Audio Tour Launch Event
On May 22, we partnered with Allegheny County to launch a free, self-guided audio tour of the Carol R. Brown Sculpture Garden at Hartwood Acres Park! This in-depth tour is the first of its kind in any Allegheny County park.
"This audio tour brings a new depth of knowledge and understanding to this incredible collection," said Joey-Linn Ulrich, Executive Director. "By making it free and easy to access, we're inviting more people to experience world-class public art right here in our county parks."
We want to thank everyone who attended last week's launch event, which was moved inside the Mansion due to the weather. We invite everyone else to grab a brochure, visit the website and plan their visit to enjoy the audio tour!
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May Blog Post: Birding in Harrison Hills Park
Beyond the popular trails and scenic views, our parks hold remarkable secrets, like the only Purple Martin colony in the entire county park system nestled in Harrison Hills Park. Thanks to the dedication of volunteers, including Dave Brooke of the Friends of Harrison Hills Park, this vibrant bird community is thriving. Learn more about these fascinating birds and the people who care for them in our May blog post.
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We're Hiring!
Join our small and mighty Parks Foundation team! We are hiring for a full-time Development Coordinator. The Development Coordinator is an integral member of our Marketing and Development team. Learn more about the position and apply today.
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This spring, we planted over 670 trees in your county parks!
Check out some of the highlights from May!
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Erie Insurance Tree Planting in North Park
We spent quality time with Erie Insurance on May 13 planting trees together near the Ranch House in North Park. Together, we planted 30 river birch, 40 sweet bay magnolia, 30 swamp white oak and a variety of native, understory species. We extend a huge thank you to all the hard-working volunteers, to Erie Insurance for providing the volunteers and 100 trees, to the Keystone Ten Million Trees for PA program for providing the understory trees and to the Allegheny County Park Rangers for leading the event. In total we planted 174 trees, making a lasting impact on North Park!
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Kushkushkee Trail Chapter Tree Planting in Hartwood Acres Park
On May 6, we planted 50 trees in Hartwood Acres Park with the Daughters of the American Revolution, Kushkushkee Trail Chapter. The dedicated volunteers braved the threatening rain to help repair a canopy gap from the recent storms along the Red Trail near the Mansion overflow parking lot. We planted a beautiful mix of native species including striped maple, bottlebrush buckeye, Allegheny serviceberry, yellow birch, tulip poplar, umbrella magnolia, white pine and basswood. We extend a huge thank you to all the volunteers for their hard work and to the Allegheny County Park Rangers for leading the event! Thank you also to the Kushkushkee Trail Chapter and the Keystone Ten Million Trees for PA program, for donating the trees and the deer protection.
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Paul Riis Trail Tree Planting in South Park
We teamed up with the Office of the Allegheny County Executive Sara Innamorato and the Master Builders' Association of Western Pennsylvania (MBA) on May 2 to plant 125 trees along the Paul Riis Trail, near the Vale of Cashmere, in South Park! We would like to extend a huge thank you to all the volunteers for their hard work and to the Allegheny County Park Rangers for leading the event. The 15 native tree species, which were grown by our friends at Tree Pittsburgh, include serviceberry, sweet birch, red and sugar maples, white and chestnut oaks, hornbeam, shagbark hickory, eastern redbud, flowering dogwood, Carolina silverbell, witch-hazel, eastern hophornbeam, white pine, and bladdernut. We are grateful to everyone who came together to help with this impactful reforestation project in South Park!
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Thank You for Supporting
Park 'til Dark and Pour at the Park
in South Park!
On May 17, we celebrated Park 'til Dark and Pour at the Park in South Park. We would like to thank everyone who supported, donated, planted a tree, sampled delicious local food and beverages, vended or shared the event information. Thanks to your support, we are thrilled to share that we planted 160 trees along the Paul Riis Trail with 27 volunteers and raised an incredible $40,300 to support our mission of improving, conserving and restoring our cherished county parks. This year's event was the highest grossing Pour at the Park since the event began in 2016, and we couldn't have made this milestone without your support!
View the event photos on our Facebook. If you loved these events then save-the-date for North Park's festivities on Saturday, October 11, 2025.
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South Park Shirts Still Available!
There is still time for you to get your 2025 South Park event t-shirt! This t-shirt was specially designed by a local artist in support of Park 'til Dark and Pour at the Park and is super soft! Email Kait to get yours!
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Sponsorships are available for Twilight Picnic for the Parks
Twilight Picnic for the Parks, our signature fundraising event, will take place on Saturday, August 16, 2025 at the Mansion in Hartwood Acres Park. This year's presenting sponsor is UPMC Health Plan. We are currently looking for sponsorships for this prominent event. Please contact Caitlin Harpster via email or at 412.606.9692 to discuss sponsorship opportunities and support your nine Allegheny County Parks!
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Special Collections and Recycling
Our friends at the Pennsylvania Resources Council are offering Glass Recycling from June 7-19 in Deer Lakes Park. Learn more about their event collections in your parks!
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Purple Martin Presentation
at Harrison Hills Park
If you’ve visited Harrison Hills Park, you’ve likely seen the striking Purple Martin houses near the Environmental Learning Center, but the story behind them is even more remarkable. Join local expert Ken Kostka on June 15 at 1:00 pm to hear how he helped re-establish this incredible colony. RSVP now!
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Eagle Scout Project
in Boyce Park
Jay Sen, from Scout Troop 220 in Pitcairn, PA recently completed his Eagle Scout Project in Boyce Park. "My Eagle Project is a foot bridge on an upcoming trail in Boyce Park that connects Wildflower Hill and the park entrance. I found out about this project through a teacher at my school who is the Boyce Park Trail Steward and part of Trail Pittsburgh. I started this project at the beginning of 2024 by meeting with rangers and seeing the scope of work. My Eagle Project Proposal was accepted in October 2024, and my application for the Allegheny County Parks Small Project Stewardship Program was granted in March 2025. The bridge construction was conducted throughout April. This bridge is a vital part of the trail, and I hope this project benefits park users because this new trail goes into a previously untouched area of the park. The trail layout is also a fun track for mountain bikers. I am excited and grateful to be part of the amazing trails in Boyce Park!”
Please join us in thanking Jay and his troop on their hard work improving Boyce Park's trails!
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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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June Park Ranger
Featured Event
This June, join the Park Rangers to learn about the Fireflies in White Oak Park on June 28, from 8:30 - 10:30 pm. Learn more about this event or discover all of Allegheny County events HERE!
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Make a Donation in Honor or Memory of Someone Special
Celebrate your dad or a fatherly figure in your life who loves the outdoors by giving the gift of conservation this month. By making a donation to improve, conserve and restore your county parks, your contribution creates ripples of positive change, reflecting the love and care they have shown to us. Make a lasting difference with the gift of a donation to support the 9 county parks today!
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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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