Multiple organizations come together to complete new mile of trails from to Brighton Heights and Riverview Parks.
By: NSC Staff
Hollow Oak Land Trust has recently completed an additional mile of trails that will connect Riverview Park with Brighton Heights Park.
“This is not something that happens often,” said Hollow Oak Land Trust executive director Sean Brady. “It’s an interesting project because it lines multiple neighborhoods together.”
According to Brady, the new addition will be a combination of three trails; making the intersections of Birkoff St. and Woods Run Ave., the Harbison St. athletic fields, Jack Stack Swimming Pool and nearby residential areas all accessible to both Brighton Heights and Riverview parks. The trails will be named Birkoff Connector, Harbison Connector and Coopers Run respectively.
The three trails will expand the Riverview Park trail circuit by approximately 10 percent for hikers, walkers, runners and cyclists. Brady believes this is a “defining program” for both residents and the organizations involved, where the connecting trails will create a “conduit” of sorts for trail users.
In addition to Hollow Oak, the Brighton Heights Citizens Federation, Department of Public Works, the Buhl Foundation, Student Conservation Association, Friends of Riverview Park and Allegheny Goatscape have all played a role in the completion of the trails with funding from a Sprout Fund Innovation Grant.
“[It is an] important amenity,” Brady said due to the proximity the connecting trails offer residents of Brighton Heights, Brightwood and Observatory Hill. “To put an emphasis on the value, Brighton Park is used largely and this creates an incentive for them [residents] to use the trails.”
A volunteer trail maintenance day is scheduled on Saturday, Nov. 4 from 9 a.m. to 12 p.m. at Brighton Heights Park. Hollow Oak Land Trust and Friends of Riverview Park are currently planning a food tuck round-up and a mountain bike race for 2018, but no specific dates have been confirmed yet.
Cover photo courtesy of Matt P. via Flickr.
