Photo by Justin Criado
Councilwoman Darlene Harris (center right) and Anne Kainaroi (left of Harris) of the Troy Hills Citizen, Inc. park development steering committee cut the ribbon at the grand re-opening of the Troy Hill Citizens Park Friday, Sept. 19.
[wppa type=”slide” album=”38″][/wppa]
By Justin Criado
The Troy Hill community celebrated the grand re-opening of Troy Hill Citizens Park Friday, Sept. 19.
The park, which received a considerable facelift, is more spacious and accessible now, making a common ground for community members and visitors alike.
Anne Kainaroi served as chair of the park development steering committee and says plans to revamp the park have been talked about for years now, but through recent funding were finally made possible.
“We’re really hoping that we bring the community together,” Kainaroi said. “It was part of (The Heart of Troy Hill) plan, which had plans to develop this park. A lot went in to it. We met every two weeks last year.”
The Troy Hill Citizens, Inc. (THC) received a Love Your Block grant from the city of Pittsburgh in August and with help from the Design Center of Pittsburgh and landscape architecture & planning company Origin 4 Design maximized the park’s space.
Origin 4 Design partners Rebecca Mizikar and Laura Santore wanted to create more functional spaces, and did so by moving the flag pole from the middle of the park to one of the corners and using the large blocks that lined the pathways as benches for the risen open-air stage. There is also a children’s play area in one corner.
“We wanted to repurpose the rocks and keep some of the same elements that were here,” Santore said.
Kainaroi said the new theater area will provide an opportunity to attract more events as well.
“We’d love to see next year some more programming for the theater area,” Kainoroi said.
The event featured live music, a climbing wall courtesy of Venture Outdoors Climb Pittsburgh, and a sundae bar.
“You’ve worked hard on this,” councilwoman Darlene Harris said to the crowd. “Enjoy it. It’s yours.”
