By Sean P. Ray | Managing Editor

OBSERVATORY HILL — Once more Riverview Park was the center of Arbor Day festivities on the Northside, with a celebration full of many fun activities for families. This year’s observation of the holiday was even more special for the park.

Riverview Park became a nationally certified arboretum by the ArbNET Arboretum Accreditation Program and the Morton Arboretum. While the certification took place a week before Arbor Day, which took place on April 26 this year, park staff used the holiday to bring attention to the accomplishment for the park.

Mayor Ed Gainey and Councilman Bobby Wilson were on hand to help commemorate the accomplishment. Gainey gave remarks, while Wilson presented The Friends of Riverview Park with a certificate recognizing the park as Pittsburgh’s third arboretum.

The day was also used to celebrate the “Pictures of the Future” art installation at Riverview Park, which was recently completed just in time for the holiday. “Pictures of the Future” is a multi-faceted piece of artwork designed by artist collective Sans façon and artist Steve Gurysh. It includes metallic disks placed upon some of the oldest trees in the park, a carved fallen tree made to look like a Greek column, and saplings planted using dibble bars made in part with iron from a meteorite.

Riverview Park follows Mellon Park and Westinghouse Park in reaching arboretum status.