Letters To The EditorMESSAGE FROM THE PRESIDENT

Meg CheeverPresident and CEO

Fred ComunaleExecutive Vice PresidentChief Operating Officer

Abbie PauleyDirector of Public Education

and Programs

Joanne Jamis CainDirector, Schenley Park

Visitor Center

Liz StyleDocent Coordinator

Erin ClymerAssistant Director of Public

Education and Programs

Philip J. GruszkaDirector of Park Maintenance

and Policies

Bonita KwolekMembership/Volunteer Coordinator

Hillary HardtAdministrative Assistant

Mary Beth SteisslingerProject Coordinator

Pittsburgh Parks Conservancy

Page 2 Pittsburgh Parks Conservancy Newsletter

PPC Brochures Make a StatementAfter reading your newsletter and glossy brochure you sent us, wefelt supporting the PPC was a really important way to help our com-munity.Annie Weidman

Park Playgrounds Win International PraiseI recently had guests who had lived all over western Europe. Theysaid Pittsburgh has the best children’s playgrounds they had everseen!Pat Swedlow

Visitor Center Makes an ImpressionPlanning on a visit to Phipps to enjoy the beautiful plantings, weaccidentally parked across the street. The Visitor Center was so invit-ing and charming that my husband and I entered. It was lovely! Wehad a delicious wild rice/cranberry salad (so wonderful that I pur-chased some to take home to try and duplicate it) and some lovelyvegetable soup. We dined al fresco for the fist time since fall. It wasa great experience. We’ll be back!

Kathy and Jared Heller

Most Pittsburghers haveprobably heard of suchcivic pioneers as Edward

Bigelow, Mary Schenley and HenryClay Frick, who preserved the city’sgreen spaces to create a thrivingpark system at the turn of the centu-ry. But many may not know aboutanother leader who demonstratedsuch environmental foresight thatwe are emulating his restorationtechniques today.

In the 1930s, Pittsburgh’s parksgained an effective advocate inlandscape architect and ParksSuperintendent Ralph E. Griswold.A graduate of Cornell University in1916, Griswold studied in France and Italy where he won the RomePrize in 1920 and spent three years as the Fellow of LandscapeArchitecture at the American Academy in Rome. In 1927 he moved toPittsburgh and collaborated on the design for Chatham Village beforebecoming Park Superintendent from 1934 to 1945.

One of 160 individuals selected for inclusion in Charles A. Birnbaum’sbook, Pioneers of American Landscape Design, Griswold was instru-mental in stabilizing eroding park slopes by planting hearty species, mostof them native, during a time when ornamental species were popular. Healso worked to fund innovative recreation and natural science educationopportunities in the parks.

When Bigelow Boulevard was widened in 1941, the State HighwayDepartment made no provisions for landscaping the steep, bare slopes,but after an anonymous donation allowed for more study, Griswoldworked with landscape architects to create a plan to stabilize the slopewith plantings. While some of these plants we now recognize as inva-sive, the practice of planting to reduce erosion and restore an ecosystemwas ahead of its time. Although Griswold died in 1981, we owe a lot to him and other land-

scape architects who initiated these environmental practices. ThePittsburgh Parks Conservancy is hard at work in all four parks removingnon-native, invasive plant species and shoring up eroded hillsides.Techniques we use today include laying jute matting, cribbing trees tosupport root structures, rebuilding trails and planting native species.

That a prominent landscape architect wasPark Superintendent is a feather inPittsburgh’s cap. As early as the 1930s, ourparks were thought of as designed environ-ments that needed to be cared for with eco-logical sensitivity. We have a great legacyand the Pittsburgh Parks Conservancy andthe City are working diligently to uphold thestandards set by those pioneers.

FOR SALE AT THE VISITOR CENTER

A series of botanical prints featuring landscapes andflowers of the parks by artist and Creative Directorof WQED Multimedia Michael Maskarinec are onsale at the Schenley Park Visitor Center. A portion ofthe sales benefit the Pittsburgh Parks Conservancy.For more information, call 412-687-1800.

WE’VE MOVED!The Pittsburgh Parks Conservancy is now at

2000 Technology DriveSuite #300

Pittsburgh, PA 15219412-682-PARK (phone)

412-622-0160 (fax)

Jessica TodarelloStaff Assistant

Ralph E. Griswold

We want your feedback. The Pittsburgh Parks Conservancy wel-comes letters to the editor. Letters may be edited. All submissionsbecome the property of the PPC.Please send them to:The Voice, 2000 Technology Drive, Suite #300,Pittsburgh, PA 15219.

Kelly SenhFinancial Assistant

Page 3Pittsburgh Parks Conservancy Newsletter

Carnegie Mellon design studentsexhibited a series of proposalsfor the revitalization of Schenley

Park’s Panther Hollow Lake in an exhi-bition at the Schenley Park VisitorCenter in December that posed suchprovocative ideas as a new arboretumand moving underwater jets.

Created as part of a senior design stu-dio project, the exhibition showcasedideas for landscapes, structures, artinstallations, signage and other proposalsaimed at generating public interest in therestoration of Panther Hollow Lake, oncea popular recreation destination and thesite of a picturesque, and now demol-ished, boathouse.

In exploring the potential of PantherHollow, the students considered the site’shistory, ecological condition, place with-

in the neighborhood’s urban fabric and avariety of possible uses, said instructorLiza Wellman, lecturer in design.

In 1998, the City of Pittsburgh and thePittsburgh Parks Conservancy developeda Master Plan to restore the parks’ dam-aged structures, paths and ecosystems.Restoration of Panther Hollow Lake ispart of that plan.

“We were thrilled to work withCarnegie Mellon and the design studentswho have come up with fresh and cre-ative ideas for revitalizing PantherHollow,” said Meg Cheever, president ofthe Conservancy. “Returning PantherHollow and its lake into a thriving spaceis a goal of the City of Pittsburgh and thePittsburgh Parks Conservancy. I’m surethe students’ innovative concepts willspark further restoration discussions.”

Spring Hat Luncheon Returns to Sunny Frick Park

CMU Exhibited Ideas for Panther Hollow Lake

Course instructor Liza Wellman (right) and design students enjoy thereception and exhibit at the Schenley Park Visitor Center.

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The Pittsburgh Parks Conservancy’s fifthSpring Hat Luncheon came full circle in Mayby returning to Frick Park after being held in

all four of Pittsburgh’s regional parks. More than650 women and men streamed through the restoredGatehouse at Reynolds Street — the site of the firsthat luncheon in 1999 and the organization’s firstshowcase project.

Many thanks to this year’s honorary co-chairs,Audrey Hillman Fisher, Ritchie Scaife, and TeresaHeinz as well as co-chairs Dr. Helene FinegoldBlodgett, Nadine Bognar, Tim Condron, LynnDavenport, and Ranny Ferguson. Of course, wecouldn’t have done it without presenting sponsorPNC.

The Conservancy would also like to thank FrickPark Foreman Dick Wilford and his crew for theirhard work making the park look its best for theevent.

Mark your calendars: Next year’s luncheon will beheld on May 1st in Schenley Park.

H.H.

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The Pittsburgh ParksConservancy will be joiningorganizations throughout

the Northeastern United States tocreate an urban ecological collabo-rative that will share informationabout urban environmentalrestoration. Pittsburgh is joiningcities such as Boston and NewYork in this effort to link commu-nity-based organizations, universi-ties, public agencies and privatefunders to improve ecological,economic and educational condi-tions in urban communities.

In its first year, the collaborative

is focusing on a communityforestry program, educational pro-gramming, research and on creat-ing a website that will function asa clearinghouse for urban ecologi-cal work.

The program is designed toincrease communication betweencities on the topic of urban ecolog-ical restoration and to help newerorganizations learn from othergroups’ successful programs.Since the collaborative formed lastfall, representatives from partnercities have come together to shareinformation on such topics as con-

ducting street tree and natural areainventories and carrying out field-based science education programs.

Pittsburgh’s chapter of theUrban Ecological Collaborativeincludes the Nine Mile RunWatershed Association, thePittsburgh Parks Conservancy, 3Rivers 2nd Nature at the STUDIOfor Creative Inquiry, ConservationConsultants Inc., and severaldepartments within the City ofPittsburgh.

Visitors to Schenley Park cannow learn about the trees,insects, mammals, history and

ecological riches on a series of indoorand outdoor signs at the Schenley ParkVisitor Center. The Pittsburgh ParksConservancy is unveiling the new signsafter more than a year of research anddesign work.

More than a dozen signs inside thebuilding explain the park’s cultural anddevelopment history, its vegetation,geology, watersheds, and grassland andwoodland habitats. The interior signsalso include a large set of historicalpark postcard images such as the grandcasino, band shell, racetrack and famedBellefield Bridge (now buried) withdescriptions of the treasures.

The outdoor signs focus more on theplants and animals of the park, whichwill help hikers identify critters thatinhabit Schenley.

“One of our goals in opening the

Schenley Park Visitor Center has beento help educate the public about therich history and biodiversity of thisurban park,” said Meg Cheever, presi-dent of the Pittsburgh ParksConservancy. “These important signs,which are the result of a collaborationof numerous experts, emphasize howSchenley is also a cultural asset with acolorful design history as well as a pre-cious environmental resource.”

The signs were developed by thePittsburgh Parks Conservancy andLANDSCAPES, a historic landscapearchitecture firm in Charlotte, Vermontthat has worked extensively in the fourlargest parks in Pittsburgh. Scientistsfrom the Carnegie Museum of NaturalHistory and local historians BarryHannegan and Charlotte Cohen con-tributed to the project. The signs werepaid for through grants from the HuntFoundation and an anonymous donor.

Page 4 Pittsburgh Parks Conservancy Newsletter

New Signs at Visitor Center RevealSchenley RichesBy Abbie Pauley

Soccer players and other athletes who have been looking forspace to play sports should take a look at the newly releasedfield study by the City of Pittsburgh, a long-awaited report

examining how fields are used and cared for.“This study will guide the development of new fields as well as the

ongoing maintenance and management of our existing athletic fieldsto assure that all users have access to highly maintained fields,” saidSusan Golomb, Director of City Planning.

Public meetings were held over the last few months throughout theCity. Residents expressed concern over the lack of rectangular fieldsand large dimension baseball fields while there were too many fieldsbeing used for multiple sports. Many also commented about poorfield conditions and conflicts between users.

The report, which was conducted by Pashek Associates with john j.Clark Associates on behalf of the City’s Department of City Planning,called for:• The City to purchase a computerized field permitting system,

which is currently underway• Improving staff training • Specific design standards for field improvements• Reducing the number of multi-use fields in Pittsburgh and

increasing the number of rectangular fields • Creating a hotline for reporting field abuse

The study was paid for by the Pennsylvania Department ofConservation and Natural Resources.

For more information or a copy, contact Dan Sentz in theDepartment of City Planning at 412-255-2233.

A.P.

City Releases Field Study

Pittsburgh Organizations to JoinNational Urban EcologicalCollaborative

The soccer field at the Oval draws parents and kids to Schenley Park.

www.pittsburghparks.orgWebsite:Visit Our

Also noteCity parks: www.city.pittsburgh.pa.us/parksUrban Parks Institute: www.pps.org/urbanparksNational Park Service: www.nps.govNational Trust for Historic Preservation: www.nthp.orgNational Association for Olmsted Parks: www.naop.olmsted.org

Staff of the PPC take a look at newly installed signs at the Schenley ParkVisitor Center.

Thanks to Sam Stimmel from E.H. GriffithToro company for helping improve the turf inFrick Park along Reynolds Street. The Aero-Vator aerates the soil and thickens the turf bylaying grass seed. It was used at Frick Park toprepare the turf for the Spring Hat Luncheon.

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Page 5Pittsburgh Parks Conservancy Newsletter

In an effort to restore the tree canopy inPittsburgh’s parks and replace trees lost inthe storms of 2002, the Pittsburgh Parks

Conservancy is working with the City ofPittsburgh to plant dozens of canopy and flower-ing trees in Frick, Highland and Schenley parks.

To date, 34 trees have been planted: 14 inSchenley, 13 in Frick and 7 in Highland. Theplantings were a mix of both canopy trees(Maple, Linden, Oak) and flowering trees(Hawthorn, Dogwood, Serviceberry). This sum-mer, about 35 large Red Oak trees will be plant-ed in various locations in Schenley andHighland parks where most of the damageoccurred.

The parks lost about 150 large, mature treesand many more lost limbs and suffered damageto the trunks during the storms of May 2002.

The City of Pittsburgh’s Public WorksDepartment coordinated the clean-up effort,which is ongoing.

The Pittsburgh Parks Conservancy is follow-ing the most advanced protocol in tree plant-ings. That includes inspecting the plant mate-rial before it goes into the ground,determining appropriate soil type, plantingdepth, site preparation, proper use of mulch toretain moisture and limiting staking of trees.

The PPC and the City are making an effortto plant the same trees that were lost on thesite. For example, if a Pin oak tree is lost, aPin oak will be planted. But non-native, inva-sive trees that were lost will be replaced withnon-invasive trees.

Willow Tree Planted atWestinghouse Pond

The popular willow tree that graced the shores of WestinghousePond in Schenley Park but toppled during a storm in 2000 wasreplaced by a new willow tree paid for by Wabtec Corporation.

“Westinghouse Pond is a treasured park landmark,” said Meg Cheever,president of the Pittsburgh Parks Conservancy which planted the tree inApril. “When the willow came down it forever changed the character ofthe site. We are grateful to Wabtec for supporting this effort to re-plant awillow and restore this beloved tree to Schenley.”Wabtec Corporation is one of North America’s largest providers of

value-added, technology-based products and services for the rail indus-try. Through its subsidiaries, the company manufactures a range ofproducts for locomotives, freight cars and passenger transit vehicles.

A.P.

PPC Begins Tree Replacement Campaign Plantings to Restore Canopy in Parks

By Phil Gruszka

Eichenlaub, Inc. planted large trees like this sugar maplebehind the Schenley Park Visitor Center with moneyraised from the Emergency Tree Fund. E

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From left: Dennis Meyer of Partners in Parks joins Patricia Klipa andPatricia Pagnanelli of Wabtec Corporation and Phil Gruszka of thePPC to plant a willow tree at Westinghouse Pond.

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Adetailed map of Frick Park highlighting the trails,pedestrian routes and park features is availablefor $2 at the Schenley Park Visitor Center. The

map, which follows the publication of a Schenley Parkmap last year, has been one of the most frequentlyrequested items from park users over the last five years.

Staff of the PPC, local volunteers and members of theCity of Pittsburgh, worked for more than 6 months onthe Geographical Information Systems or GIS-basedmap, which includes the main amenities of Frick Parkand all pedestrian routes and primary trails (with dis-tances). The back of the map includes colorful photos ofpark amenities and contact information.

The map was developed after PPC surveys revealedthat visitors needed a map to guide them through thestreets and trails of all four parks.

Maps of Riverview and Highland Park are underway.Anyone interested in volunteering to work on the mapsshould contact Abbie Pauley at the Pittsburgh ParksConservancy at 412-682-7275.

For a copy of the Frick or Schenley maps, visit theSchenley Park Visitor Center across from PhippsConservatory and Botanical Gardens.

A.P.

Frick Park Trail Maps Now Available

DATE MOVIE JAZZ

July 5 Crocodile Hunter KeniaJuly 12 Clockstoppers Serious InquiryJuly 19 Ice Age Frank Cunimondo TrioJuly 26 Scooby-Doo Rodney McCoy

August 2 Men In Black II Real Silk BandAugust 9 Like Mike Dwayne DolphinAugust 16 Die Another Day Roger BarbourAugust 23 John Q SalsambaAugust 30 Harry Potter and the Sandy Staley

Chamber of Secrets

Page 7Page 6 Pittsburgh Parks Conservancy Newsletter

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RIVERVIEW PARK CINEMA

JULY

The Western Pennsylvania Field Institute and the Pittsburgh ParksConservancy are teaming up to offer Weekly Walks in the Woods thatrotate through Pittsburgh’s great parks. Join us for this social outing

where walks are led by docents familiar with park history, activities, flora andfauna. The outings are casual, fun and educational – the perfect antidote to theworkweek. Some hikes will be on uneven terrain with moderate difficulty.Contact the WPFI for further information at 412-255-0564.

When: Thursdays, 6:30 p.m. to 8:00 p.m.Now through October 29, 2003

Where: 1st Thurs. Schenley Park, Visitor Center2nd Thurs. Riverview Park, Observatory3rd Thurs. Frick Park, Environmental Center4th Thurs. Highland Park, Entrance at Highland Avenue (to right)5th Thurs. Washington’s Landing (when applicable)

Introduce your children to the outdoors withweekly tyke hikes at the Schenley Park VisitorCenter through October.

Representatives from the Western PennsylvaniaField Institute will be leading the hikes for childrenup to age 5 from 10:30 a.m. to noon every Tuesday.

Cost is $3 per adult and free for children. Allwalks begin at the Visitor Center.

Parents, caregivers and even grandparents areinvited to take their children on a short leisurelywalk on the park’s gravel trails. Participants willlook at leaves, touch the trees, listen for birds andcritters, and look for wildlife on Panther HollowLake.

“This is a great opportunity for children to experi-ence the sounds and sights of our great parks,” saidMeg Cheever, president of the Pittsburgh ParksConservancy. “They are our next generation of nat-uralists.”

Tyke Hikes atVisitor Center

Guided Tours and HikesOffered in Schenley

WPFI Leads Nature Hikes inRegional Parks

Whether you’re interested in exercise, park sculpture ortree identification, there’s a hike for you in SchenleyPark during the day and in evenings. The Pittsburgh

Parks Conservancy is teaming up with local organizations toprovide weekly walks through Schenley Park.

The First and Third Sunday of Every Month at 1 p.m.,Schenley Park Visitor Center docents lead historical park toursfeaturing the park’s history, monuments and sculptures. Meet atthe Schenley Park Visitor Center.

Every Wednesday from April to October, join the Sierra Clubfor a conditioning walk on the trails. Meet at the Schenley ParkVisitor Center. Walks are held from 6 to 8 p.m.

The first Thursday of every month, the Western PennsylvaniaField Institute will lead nature hikes through Schenley Park.Hikes are from 6:30 to 8 p.m. and will start at the Schenley ParkVisitor Center.

S u m m e r E v e n t s H e a t

Michael Sobkowiak of the Western Pennsylvania Field Institute leads the weeklytyke hikes with his one year old daughter, Olivia.

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Concerts begin at 7 p.m. and movies at 9 p.m. on Observatory Hill

Pittsburgh Parks Conservancy NewsletterPage 7

SCHENLEY PARK CINEMA

JULY

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DATE MOVIE BAND

July 2 Austin Powers Dreadnotsin Goldmember

July 6 ClockstoppersJuly 9 My Big Fat Greek Wedding The Naked CitizensJuly 13 Ice AgeJuly 16 Solaris Grand National HustlerJuly 20 Star Wars: Episode IIJuly 23 Scooby-Doo Anthony Rankin BandJuly 27 Men in Black IIJuly 30 Spider-Man The Legendary Tumblers

August 3 Like MikeAugust 6 Invincible Torn & FrayedAugust 10 Die Another DayAugust 13 Best in Show Wendy K. and the

Undercover LoversAugust 17 John QAugust 20 The Ring James Dougherty and the

Inconsiderate FewAugust 24 Harry Potter

and the Chamber of SecretsAugust 27 Lord of the Rings: The Cheats

The Fellowship of the RingAugust 31 Lord of the Rings: The Two Towers

The Pittsburgh Chapter of theMesothelioma AppliedResearch Foundation (MARF)

will be hosting the second annualDance For Me So Others Might Live,a dinner/dance fundraiser onSeptember 27th in Riverview Park.

This event is designed to generatefunds for research, promote aware-ness, and to commemorate the strug-gle of those with this asbestos cancer.

The event will be from 4 p.m. to 9

p.m. at the Riverview Park ActivitiesBuilding and will feature a buffet fol-lowed by dancing to the sounds of DJJoseph Savage. Tickets are $25. CallAlice Steigerwald (412) 734-3195 ore-mail danceformeso@cs.com fortickets. All proceeds benefit MARF.To learn more about mesothelioma,visit MARF’s website atwww.marf.org.

Riverview to Host Benefit forCancer Research

Congratulations to Citiparks Summer Magazine for win-ning the Pennsylvania Recreation and Park Society(PRPS) 2002 program publication competition.

PRPS selects candidates who demonstrate outstandingquality, innovation and efficient use of resources. In2002 Citiparks distributed 65,000 copies of the maga-zine that showcases Citiparks’ summer events and year-round facilities.

Citiparks Mag Wins Award

problems in agriculture and privategardens nationwide, according toexperts. In Pittsburgh’s parks, thedeer have eaten a large number oftree saplings, shrubs and herbs,which has diminished the woods’ bio-diversity.

Experts fear that deer are eating thenative shrubs, low-lying flowers andferns so quickly that large sections ofwoodlands are more susceptible tothe growth of invasive plant speciessuch as Norway maple, goutweed andgarlic mustard. Heavy use of theparks’ large trails and a high amountof light from roads also contribute tothe problem.

The damage in Riverview is mostevident near the Mairdale parkingarea. Although some native spicebushand white snakeroot are flourishing

because deer dislike their flavor, thetree seedlings and saplings of highlypreferred species such as oak and ashare suppressed by browsing and maynever grow beyond the height thatdeer can reach.

Rhoads noted there is virtually nonew growth of trees, shrubs andplants in the Mairdale area. Also,herbaceous plants are sparse andmuch of the forest floor is bare ofplants.

In Frick Park, the exclosures wereplaced off the Firelane Trail and inFern Hollow. In Highland they are inthe woodlands off WashingtonBoulevard near the bike track and inSchenley, they can be found inPanther Hollow and near ProspectHill.

Deer Exclosure Study...Continued from page 1

The Pittsburgh Parks Conservancy is workingwith the Nine Mile Run Watershed Associationand Civil & Environmental Consultants, Inc. to

develop strategies in controlling non-native, invasiveplant species in Frick Park with volunteers. Nine Mile Run is undergoing a multi-million dollar

aquatic ecosystem restoration through the Army Corpsof Engineers, which has involved extensive removalof invasive plants. This program will call on a regularcorps of volunteers to maintain the site and helpensure the regeneration of native plants once theCorps of Engineers finishes its work.

“Citizen involvement is absolutely critical for thesuccess of the restoration, especially in the earlyyears. Volunteer urban eco-stewards can really helpkeep the invasive plants from getting established,which will lead to a healthier ecosystem overall,” saidMarijke Hecht, watershed coordinator.

In June, the PPC, the Nine Mile Run WatershedAssociation, the Frick Environmental Center and Civil& Environmental Consultants, Inc. joined the DEP inhosting an invasive plant workshop in which volun-teers learned to identify the various species and meth-ods of control and removal. This watershed-based citi-zen training program will become a model for theDEP to use state-wide.

Participants are now signing up to become urbaneco-stewards that are trained to perform monitoringand maintenance tasks along the riparian areas of thepark. The stewards will work in teams and will beassigned to work long-term on their sites. For moreinformation contact Bonny Kwolek at the PittsburghParks Conservancy at 412-682-7275.

Corps of Eco-Stewardsto Protect Park SitesBy Abbie Pauley

u p t h e P a r k s

Damon Vaccaro and Varun Budhiraja, employees of Deloitte Consulting,worked in Frick Park as part of the company’s International GlobalImpact Day. Deloitte Consulting employees from around the world volun-teered in their local communities in June. Thirty employees from thePittsburgh firm helped restore eroded hillsides and trails in Frick Park.

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Concerts begin at 8 p.m. and movies at 9:15 p.m. on Flagstaff Hill

Page 8 Pittsburgh Parks Conservancy NewsletterNon-Profit Org.U S POSTAGE

P A I DPITTSBURGH, PAPERMIT NO 4906

Fifteen-year-old Anton, a 10th-grader at theNeighborhood Academy in Garfield, lovedbasketball and football but had no interest

in picking up a golf club. But after enrolling inthe First Tee of Pittsburgh, a youth golf program

at the Schenley Golf course, the boy’s life begana new course.

“The program has increased his self esteemand given him a lot of confidence to try otheractivities,” said Tara Marlovits, Director ofPrograms for the Neighborhood Academy, afaith-based college prep school that sends itskids through the program. “Golf has reallyhelped his sportsmanship and helped bring outsome of his leadership traits. That’s transferredinto his ability to try new things. He reallyenjoys golf now.”Anton (not his real name) is not the only one to

benefit from the program, part of the World GolfFoundation’s nationwide initiative to positivelyaffect kids’ lives through golf and valuesinstilled by the game. More than 2,000 studentsparticipated last year and the numbers are grow-ing. So are the accolades. In 2002, Golf Digestmagazine identified First Tee of Pittsburgh asthe best junior golf program in the country.

First Tee aims to reach children ages 7 to 18 ofall backgrounds who have not had exposure togolf. Initially, participants are given plastic clubswith oversized heads and tennis balls to makelearning easier and help them see results morequickly. Among the activities is an exercisecalled “personal par” in which kids identifygoals for their golf game and for other aspects oftheir life such as grades. They also hear speakerswho emphasize such themes as goal-setting andsportsmanship.

“We teach them golf but we teach them thingsyou learn when playing golf – honesty, persever-ance, sportsmanship, dealing with success andfailure,” said Bruce Stephen, executive directorof the First Tee Program. “The idea is to usegolf as a platform for things they use in theireveryday lives.”One of the most popular offerings of the pro-

gram is the junior golf clinics held for fourweeks after school in May for all skill levels.More advanced kids can enter monthly tourna-ments and join the Schenley Junior Golf League.Participants also receive a season pass to thegolf course, college scholarship opportunitiesand mentoring and community service credits.

Sponsors of First Tee include the USGA,LPGA, PGA of America, PGA Tour and theAugusta National Golf Club.

“Our students have learned to appreciate thegame of golf, become proficient in the technicalskills, and learned valuable life lessons, whichthey demonstrate during the school day,” saidMarlovits. “It’s an overwhelming positive expe-rience for our students.”

Schenley Park Golf Course serves area resi-dents through a partnership between the City ofPittsburgh and Carnegie Mellon University. The18-hole course in the northern section of thepark is open throughout the year, from earlymorning until dark (weather permitting). Formore information, call 412-622-6959 or visitwww.schenleygolf.org.

New Town Center...Continued from page 1Remember the Pittsburgh Parks Conservancy

in Your Will or Trust

The PPC’s mission is to preserve, protect and restorethe great parks of the City of Pittsburgh and to edu-cate the public about them.

You can help support us in our mission by making giftsto the PPC during your lifetime or under the terms ofyour will through what is known as planned giving.

To learn more about how you can support the PPC, con-tact our office at 412-682-PARK.

We urge you to consult with your legal and financial advisors to assist you inarranging the best method of contributing. The PPC is tax-exempt under Section501(c)3 of the Internal Revenue Service Code. Contributions to the PPC are tax-deductible to the fullest extent allowed by law. A copy of the official registra-tion and financial information for the Pittsburgh Parks Conservancy may beobtained from the Pennsylvania Department of State by calling toll free, withinPennsylvania, 1-800-732-0999. Registration does not imply endorsement.

Award-winning First Tee Teaches Golf and Life Skills at Schenley Park Course

By Abbie Pauley

A First Tee participant perfects his form at theSchenley Park Golf Course.

Meg Cheever, president of the Pittsburgh Parks Conservancyand vice-chair of the Oakland Task Force’s Schenley PlazaSteering Committee, said the plan presented an exciting oppor-tunity to reclaim a once grand historic park entrance.

“This section of Oakland has a rich history that is worthexploring as we move forward to create a more vital space,”said Cheever. “We welcome public input as we identify waysto bring the plaza back to life while meeting the needs ofOakland residents and the major institutions nearby.”

The plan would eliminate the parking lot but nearly 100spaces are being added on the site. Parking AuthorityExecutive Director Ralph Horgan said the number representedless than 2 percent of the more than 13,000 spaces of parkingcurrently available for use in Oakland. Also, the Oakland Task Force and the Allegheny Conference

will be conducting a parking management study to help peoplefind other parking nearby.

“Clearly there is a higher and better use for Schenley Plaza,”Horgan said. “The Biederman plan showed us all how great aspace this could be.”

The next step for the plaza project will be the completion ofthe schematic design and a cost estimate.

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