Wilkinsburg Is Looking Ahead – And The Future Looks Green

 

 

 

The Borough of Wilkinsburg recognizes the importance of having trees in the community, and the benefit of maintaining its “urban forest.” The trees in the parks, yards, public spaces and streetscapes play a vital role in the health and economic vitality of the community. Trees reduce runoff from storms and prevent erosion; they improve the quality of our air and water, minimize the cost of heating and cooling of our homes and businesses, increase property values, and ultimately, enhance the desirability of our neighborhoods and commercial districts.

 

The Borough of Wilkinsburg also recognizes that in order to maintain its valuable urban forest, it is vital to continually replant trees. In the 1930s and 40s, after the Great Depression, and again after World War II, major tree planting efforts occurred with expansion into urban residential areas. It was during this time that the majority of trees were planted in cities and towns. Generally speaking, large tree planting initiatives have not occurred since then, either in Wilkinsburg or in other cities and towns. This has resulted in an imbalance in the age distribution in the tree populations. That means that most trees in urban forests are around the same age and will likely decline and die around the same time.

 

In response to this issue, the Borough of Wilkinsburg Citizens Advisory Committee on Shade Trees has partnered with Pennsylvania Community Forests and Duquesne Light Company to receive a Municipal Tree Restoration Program (MTRP) grant in the amount of $3,500. The grant will be used to re-plant trees on the south side of Penn Avenue from the intersection of Superior Street down to the statue of Abraham Lincoln.

 

MTRP grants are funded by local utility companies and administered through Pennsylvania Community Forests, a nonprofit organization that guides a statewide program to provide technical and financial assistance for communities and volunteer groups. The main objectives of the MTRP grant are to encourage communities to choose appropriate trees for planting under utility wires, and to encourage the improvement of municipality-based tree programs. Since the MTRP grant is a matching grant, the Borough will match the $3,500 either in cash or with an in-kind match such as the labor contributed by the volunteers to plant the trees. The MTRP grant will allow Wilkinsburg to replace poor quality trees too large to grow under utility lines with smaller-maturing, more appropriate species.

 

The tree replacement effort will include the removal of 13 trees and the planting of 36 new trees. The trees to be removed have been identified by the borough and by Duquesne Light and are located on the south side of the 1300 and 1400 blocks of Penn Avenue, and are within the borough’s right of way. These trees are either mature and in poor condition, or are expected to grow too large to safely remain beneath the overhead electrical lines. The work will be done at no cost to the adjacent property owners or to the Borough of Wilkinsburg and will be done in cooperation with Duquesne Light Company. The Citizens Advisory Committee on Shade Trees, Nine Mile Run Watershed Association, and Friends of Pittsburgh’s Urban Forest will plant 36 healthy, utility-compatible trees in the spring of 2010. The plan includes the planting of 29 trees at the Penn Avenue location, with an additional four trees in the 500 and 600 blocks of Mifflin Avenue, and three in the 700 block of Savannah Avenue.

 

The transformation along Penn Avenue will result in very noticeable changes, with a significant improvement expected over the long term. The new trees will be chosen based on their mature size so that they can safely reach a maximum height below utility wires, providing a long-lasting urban forest. By choosing the “right plant for the right place,” the Wilkinsburg urban forest will continue to thrive and give back to its community. It is our intention that these efforts will play a role in the preservation of our urban forest for future generations to enjoy, just as we have appreciated the efforts of our tree-minded community members who have gone before us.

Art in Public Places

 

For the past year, a group of Wilkinsburg residents have served on a public art steering committee to develop guidelines and procedures for art in piublic places in Wilkinsburg. This process was connected to the borough’s comprehensive plan, and involved many community meetings, learning about best practices for art and design review, seeing examples of public art projects and review bodies, and considering what methods would be ideal for Wilkinsburg.

 

The steering committee found the need for a legislative body to review art, architecture, landscape architecture, memorials and monuments for public property and commercial private property. The committee started to create the framework for the Wilkinsburg Community Art and Civic Design Commission. In addition to reviewing projects, the commission will seek community feedback on art and design projects, engage in research and planning efforts, and organize educational programs and materials about art and design for the community.

 

The enabling legislation for the Wilkinsburg Community Art and Civic Design Commission has been presented to the borough council. The legislation was authorized for advertisement on November 4 and iwas adopted on November 18. A copy of the legislation, Ordinance No. 2831, is available on the Wilkinsburg Borough Web site, www.wilkinsburgpa.gov.

 

Citizens who are interested in applying for a position on the 11-member commission may contact borough manager Marla Marcinkoat 412-244-2906 or mmarcinko@wilkinsburgpa.gov. Applications will be posted on the borough Web site  and will be sent to interested parties.

 

The process was led by the Office of Public Art (OPA), who was hired by the Borough of Wilkinsburg with funding from The Heinz Endowments. OPA is a partnership between the Greater Pittsburgh Arts Council and the City of Pittsburgh.

Correction

 

An article on tax abatement in last month’s issue stated that qualified investors could be be exempt from additional real estate property taxes resulting from improvements made to residential properties in a designated portion of Wilkinsburg. The plan covers all of Wilkinsburg.

Wilkinsburg students first group to visit August Wilson Center

 

 

On October 7, 2009, a group of Wilkinsburg elementary students from the district’s Gifted Support Program made a special field trip to the newly opened August Wilson Center for African American Culture. Led by Timothy Weinstein, Gifted Coordinator for the district, they had the distinct privilege of being the first student group to visit the center.

The mission of the August Wilson Center is to present performing, visual and educational programs that celebrate the contributions of African Americans within the region and the impact of cultural expression from Africa to the African Diaspora. The theme of the students’ field trip was “Communities.” Upon arriving at the Center, students first engaged in a detailed discussion about August Wilson himself, and the center’s architect, Allison Williams. The students then took part in a treasure hunt, during which they worked in small groups to find Charles “Teenie” Harris photographs located throughout the building. Then, students selected one photograph and wrote a brief essay based on the question, “How does this picture inspire you?” Students then presented their essays to the group.

In the afternoon, the students explored an exhibit titled “Remix, Renew, Reclaim.” After a brief discussion of the exhibit’s content, students utilized multimedia stations to develop audiovisual collages that expressed their definition of community. Again, the students presented their collages to the group, focusing on explaining why they chose to include the various elements. Due to the success of the field trip, plans are already in the works for a group of high school students to make a similar trip to the center.

Cleveland Cavs’ Game Entertainment Crew Visits Kelly Elementary

 

The Cleveland Cavaliers were in Pittsburgh to take on the Dallas Mavericks in a preseason exhibition game at the University of Pittsburgh’s Peterson Events Center October 20. That afternoon, the Cavaliers Game Entertainment crew—the Cavalier Girls dance team, hip hop troupe the Scream Team, and mascot Moondog—made a special visit to students at Kelly Elementary to demonstrate how much fun learning can be!

 

As part of the NBA’s Week of Service, and in partnership with the White House’s  United We Serve  initiative, the visit was the Cavaliers way of saying thank you to the Pittsburgh community for their support and for welcoming the team to their city the past several years for preseason games. So far, Kelly Elementary School is the only school that the Game Entertainment Crew has visited in the Pittsburgh area.

 

During the visit, the Cavalier Girls and Scream Team interacted with students in a number of different ways, visiting classrooms to read, exercise and have fun while exposing the students to Cavaliers’ programs such as  Read to Achieve,   Fit As A Pro,   Head of the Class  and  All Star Kids. These programs encourage students to develop a life-long love for reading, develop exercise and well-balanced eating habits, and encourage students and teachers alike to stand out and make a difference in other people’s lives.

Students also took part in a hip-hop dance clinic, and enjoyed performances by the Cavalier Girls and Scream Team. One lucky student and teacher were also awarded tickets to the game later that evening.

Students compete in Creative Convention

 

 

On Friday, October 23, 2009, Timothy Weinstein, the district’s Gifted Coordinator, took a group of students from Wilkinsburg Middle School to compete in the Creative Convention. The event was sponsored by the North Allegheny School District and included gifted students from Allegheny County who competed in small groups to complete a number of activities designed to stimulate creative problem-solving skills. Participating school districts included Montour, Pine Richland, Northgate, Riverview, North Allegheny, and Deer Lakes, among others. By participating in the competition, Wilkinsburg students were able to interface with students from different backgrounds, as well as evaluate their peers from outside of Wilkinsburg. Each school was permitted to bring two teams of four students each.

The theme of the Creative Convention this year was comedy. Activities for the students included compiling lists about types of comedy, writing limericks and building word pyramids, as well as creating and presenting a brief skit. In the skit, the students were required to show an idea or invention being discovered or created during prehistoric times. The setting must have, at some point, been inside a cave. Finally, the students worked together to see which group could construct the tallest structure using only 30 straws and one meter of tape. The hardest part of the last challenge was the requirement that the students work in complete silence, communicating only with body gestures.

COMMUNITY MARKETPLACE

 

At Hosanna House, 807 Wallace Avenue, on Saturday, December 5, 12 and 19, from 9 a.m. to 4 p.m. Vendors selling gifts, jewelry,toys, collectibles, clothing & apparel, baskets, decorations, good food and more, all at bargain prices, something for everyone.

The Community Marketplace will create the opportunity for economic development and cultural exchange. It also provides a venue for the community to gather and interact with local artisans, crafters and businesses to sell their good and services. The marketplace is not just for selling but for home-based business, community rebuilding resource organization and others to advertise their programs and services, working to improve the quality of life for the people in the community.

It is our goal to develop a marketplace where people will bring their families to visit, be entertained and have and   enjoyable shopping and networking experience. Vendors wanted. Booth rentals $35. For more information call 412-243-7711.

FREE HOME BUYING WORKSHOP

 

At 6 p.m., on Monday, December 14, at Jean’s Southern Cuisine, 730 Penn Avenue, Pittsburgh Housing Development Association (PHDA) and Dollar Bank will be  presenting an informational program to prospective home buyers.

Buying a home, even if the buyer is in the low to moderate income

category, need not be an overwhelming or impossible goal. PHDA’s home buying education workshops introduce participants to wealth building, the highest cost investment of most Americans life, a home they do not rent, but own themselves.

Counselors will help with credit enhancement, and give information about how to secure grants for closing costs, affordable mortgage and down payment options, programs to help public housing residents, Section 8 tenants and renters. Free credit report provided to participants. Please RSVP by calling  412-687-1197  or at www.phdainc.org.

Christmas Carol Songbook

Christmas-Carol-Song-Book

Come Sing

Now you have a songbook (see above). So you’re ready for…

WILKINSBURG A’CAROLING Saturday December 19, 6 to 7 p.m.

Share the joy! Gather your family and friends for an hour of holiday caroling where you live or in your church or business neighborhood, with a celebration party for all singers and family members immediately afterwards; party location to be announced.

Please let us know who you are and where you’ll be caroling. Contact wilkinsburgacaroling@yahoo.com or call 412-243-1303.

Wilkinsburg A’Caroling is a project of Wilkinsburg Weed & Seed, Mad Dads, and Hosanna House.