Park Triangle

Park Triangle

 

Park Triangle Greenway Survey

The Park Triangle Committee invites the community to share input on phase 1 of a greenway plan for Wilkinsburg. Click here to take the Park Triangle Greenway Survey.

 

Background

The Park Triangle Committee (PTN Committee) has been working together for 3 years, with the goals of fostering community conversation, encouraging resident participation in neighborhood decisions, and developing revitalization projects in the Park Triangle neighborhood. The PTN Committee is contributing to the Strong Neighborhoods Initiative’s mission of building strong neighborhoods through an investigation of the causes and impacts of blight and vacancy in Wilkinsburg.

Focus Areas:

  • Improving the Swissvale Avenue corridor
  • Exploring and designing a Nature Greenway
  • Building consensus among residents and encouraging collective decision-making around neighborhood concerns
  • Developing revitalization projects related to vacant properties in and around the Park Triangle Neighborhood
  • Expanding the Unity Garden

The Park Triangle Committee has been represented and facilitated by:

  • Lisa Huber, Wilkinsburg Christian Housing
  • John and Terry Chambers, JC Power Home Improvement
  • Autumn Butler, Wilkinsburg Christian Housing
  • Anne McPherson, Covenant Fellowship Presbyterian Reformed Church
  • Tim Cattell, Greentech Rising Organization

On March 4, 2023, Park Triangle hosted a kick-off meeting at Covenant Fellowship Church. Approximately 50 people attended to discuss concerns and desires for neighborhood improvement.

The following priority areas were established during this meeting:

  • Advocacy – Be a voice
  • Sustainable housing
  • Environmental issues and safety
  • Infrastructure
  • Vacant lots

Throughout the 2023 calendar year, Park Triangle hosted several community events which included follow-up planning meetings, a garden event, community clean-ups, and brown bag lunch giveaways. The PTN Committee has also collaborated with local organizations such as Covenant Fellowship Church, Redd-Up Wilkinsburg, Rising Tide Partners, and UpstreamPGH.

 

Swissvale Corridor Project

A major focus for Park Triangle’s work is community development of the “Swissvale Corridor,” an area of Swissvale Avenue between Wallace Avenue and Glenn Avenue.

The primary objectives for the Swissvale Corridor Project are:

  • Promoting sustainable development within the boundaries of Park Triangle
  • Preserving and enhancing the landscape setting and character of Park Triangle
  • Transforming the community into a safe, clean, and sustainable community where our neighbors are proud to live, work, play and worship

The PTN Committee installed six brick-textured raised bed planter boxes along Swissvale Avenue from the corner of Wallace Avenue to the Grace & Fruit Pollinator Garden and Orchard at the corner of Glenn Avenue (next to the Covenant Fellowship Reformed Presbyterian Church). This pollinator garden was created in partnership with the Wilkinsburg Pollinator Garden Group, representing the spirit of collective public placemaking in Wilkinsburg.

 

Unity Garden

The next addition at the corner of Swissvale Avenue and North Avenue was the Unity Garden, so-called as it rests at the intersection of Wilkinsburg’s three wards. This urban green space is home to pollinator plants and native flowers donated by the Audubon Society of Western Pennsylvania and features raised bed planters for the cultivation of organic vegetables that can be distributed to neighbors.

The Unity Garden has been made possible with the help of various local organizations and the generosity of numerous individual volunteers and donors.

 

Home Stabilization

The PTN Committee has partnered with local homeowners, community partners, and volunteers for the purpose of assisting with the stabilization and renovation of Park Triangle houses.

The major focus of these efforts has been at 423 Ella St, where the property has been transformed into a home for a Park Triangle resident. The PTN Committee and WCDC have assisted in the process from start to finish, beginning by helping transfer the property deed to the new owner’s name. Using grant funding from the Allegheny Foundation, the subsequent home stabilization at 423 Ella St has included roofing, HVAC, bathroom and kitchen renovations, drywall, flooring, and gutter repair.  

The PTN Committee is proud to have partnered with the new homeowner in this endeavor, transforming the home into one her family can live in, and they hope to identify another home to renovate in the near future.

 

Nature Greenway

The Park Triangle Committee is currently working with professional landscape architects to develop a nature pathway for Hunter and Taft Way. This greenway would be for recreational use and environmental protection, as well as beautifying the neighborhood. The PTN Committee welcomes feedback and community input to ensure the plan reflects the needs, priorities, and identity of the community. Click here to take the Park Triangle Greenway Survey.

 

 

About Park Triangle

Park Triangle spans 101 acres, with several of Wilkinsburg’s main avenues such as Penn, Swissvale, and Montier making up its borders. There are a total of 740 properties located within Park Triangle owned by 609 individual owners.

A mostly residential neighborhood, Park Triangle has a large assortment of housing stock but also boasts a small commercial district, as well. The zoning for this neighborhood allows for single-family residential, mixed-use residential, and multi-family residential.

For more information, or to get involved with the Park Triangle Committee, please contact parktriangle1@gmail.com

 

 

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