Demolition notices from the Urban Redevelopment Authority (URA) discovered at the Randyland Gardens on June 2 are apparently false, according to the organization.
Tanika Harris, director of communication and community relations at the URA, told The Chronicle that the URA “has no intention of demolishing the community garden, affectionately known as Randyland” in an email.
Harris said the demolition sign “did not come from the URA or any of our affiliates.” The notices instructed readers to contact Pittsburgh URA at the bottom. The apparently fake notices claimed they were a 30-day notice, with “demolition notice” read across the top in capital letters.
Gilson, the founder and curator of the Randyland art museum and creator of the garden, discovered the notices and posted a video about them on his Facebook account on June 2. Speaking with The Chronicle, Gilson speculated the notices might have been the work of a disgruntled neighbor.
“I think it started out as a kind of prank, and I don’t know if they knew what was going to happen, that it was going to come down to this,” he said.
Gilson said he is working with the city to address issues with the sidewalk outside the garden, which is located at the intersection of Jacksonia and Arch streets, but the garden isn’t under threat of demolition.
Space, defense tech district planned for Northside
The Northside may soon serve as the center of space and defense innovation and development for the tri-state region of Pennsylvania, Ohio and West Virginia.
Plans for the Keystone Space and Defense Innovation District were discussed at the Keystone Space Collaborative’s second annual space conference on June 1. According to a press release by the collaborative, the district will “be a space and defense innovation industry cluster that will serve as a regional economic development enabler connecting North Side [sic] educational , entertainment and retail assets with the broader Manchester and Chateau communities.”
The district will be anchored by Astrobotic, Keystone Space and the AFWERX/Space WERX Pittsburgh Innovation Hub.
According to the press release, the space and defense innovation industry is projected to be a $1 trillion industry by 2030.
“The potential impact of this District is really exciting,” Justine Kasznica, Keystone Space Collaborative board chair, is quoted as saying in the release. “By combining entertainment/retail and space/ science innovation in one location and designing it with the goal of connecting and activating disconnected communities, the District will create unprecedented opportunities for workforce and economic development in the Manchester and Chateau neighborhoods, Pittsburgh and the broader Tri-State Region.”
The planned district is currently under a master visioning process to set out the exact plans. The process is receiving financial support from the City of Pittsburgh, Allegheny County and Mirasol Capital, along with strategic support and contributions from the Commonwealth of Pennsylvania, the Pennsylvania Department of Community & Economic Development, Manchester Citizens Corporation, the Pittsburgh Technology Council and other community stakeholders, according to the press release.
Reggae at Riverview taking place Aug. 5
Reggae at Riverview will hit the Northside once more this summer, taking place on Aug. 5 at Valley Refuge Shelter in Riverview Park.
This is the third year of the free event, which began during the COVID-19 quarantines and lockdowns .The musical festival will feature live performances by reggae bands such as Truth and Rites, music selected by DJs, food by Toc Jerk Center and more.
According to an event flyer, the mission of the festival is to “bring diverse groups of people together to share the love of Reggae music and discover the beauty of Riverview Park.”
Organizers are seeking sponsors for the event as well. Any interested potential sponsors should reach out to Kevin Maskol, at (215) 820-6409 or email reggaeatriverview@ gmail.com.
