By John Canning
Over the past decade North Side residents, business folks, and North Side expatriates kept abreast of what was happening in the many neighborhoods that comprise the North Side by reading The Northside Chronicle. The Chronicle has been our monthly village voice.
John Lyon, owner, editor, reporter, photographer, layout artist, advertising manager, and delivery boy kept us informed about what was happening in our communities. Residents of Troy Hill and Spring Garden Valley learned about events in Manchester and Brightwood. Readers in Observatory Hill knew of developments and programs in East Allegheny and the North Shore. John Lyon was not into investigative journalism. He left that to the “big boys.” John was an affirming and validating journalist. The Chronicle was telling the good news of life on the North Side, of development in our neighborhoods, of programs in our schools and churches, of community leaders and community organizations. John’s proactive tone permeated The Chronicle’s articles. It tied neighborhoods together. It created civic pride.
This positive voice of what the North Side had to offer greatly contributed to the close working relationship between The Northside Chronicle and the Northside Community Development Fund (Northside Fund). Development succeeds where people believe in the strength of their neighborhoods.
Following John Lyon’s untimely passing last fall, Linda LeFever, Executive Director of the Northside Fund, along with several North Side residents, met to discuss the future of The Chronicle. Foremost in our minds was the value of John’s perspective. We realized that no one will be able to replace John Lyon, but, hopefully, his spirit can continue in the upcoming editions of The Chronicle.
That spirit will be found in the many voices that will contribute to the paper. That spirit will be evident as events, personalities, and developments throughout the whole North Side are reported in future articles. That spirit will continue to weave folks in our many North Side neighborhoods into a stronger village.
One of the many hats worn by John Lyon was that of the president of the Allegheny City Society. His spirit of the unity of the North Side was indeed the spirit of old Allegheny City. The Chronicle was, and will continue to be, one of the forces maintaining and reinforcing that wonderful tradition.
In an effort to build on John Lyon’s legacy, the Northside Fund has recently hired Sam Anderson to take on the major responsibilities of managing The Chronicle. Sam will tell us more about himself in future editions. However, it is the opinion of those who have met him that he will indeed stand comfortable on the shoulders of John Lyon.
John Canning is an active member of the Allegheny City Society and was a close friend of John Lyon.
