Two Wheels Lots of Green Recap Posted on August 23, 2016 by wpengine Thank You! You Keep Us Rolling. Thank you to everyone who joined us on the bike tour or attended our pop-up community party at the Garden on Gearing for Two Wheels Lots of Green. THE RESULTS With your help we raised over $12,000 for our vacant land projects. We couldn’t have done it without you! Check out what riders had to say during the event. Tweets about 2wlog16Read More
Gardening with Friends Posted on August 18, 2016 by wpengine Last week we wrapped up a three session “gardening club” we facilitated with The Friendship Circle of Pittsburgh. The Friendship Circle is based in Squirrel Hill and works to unite children and young adults who have special needs with teen volunteers to grow and build friendships and enrich the lives of all who participate. Our COO, Evaine, had worked on the design for Friendship Circle’s new rooftop, and once it was completed they reached out to us to see if…Read More
Hilltop Green Playce Bonus: Stormwater Management Posted on August 15, 2016 by wpengine The Hilltop Green Playce is located along Warrington Ave. in Allentown's business district. Tucked between 2 buildings and below a parking lot, the lot is part asphalt and part hillside. The site receives a significant amount of stormwater runoff from the adjacent impervious surfaces in this highly urbanized watershed. Thanks to a grant received from the Allegheny County Conservation District (ACCD), we have been able to install stormwater best management practices (BMPs) in order to improve site conditions, provide educational opportunities, and…Read More
Intern Goodbye! Posted on August 12, 2016 by wpengine This post was written by our Alcoa Foundation summer interns on their last day. We're so lucky to have had them this summer! Yes, there were casualties -- we regret to report that paint got on kids’ shoes, shirts, and shorts. Other than those few incidents (which the kids probably view not as incidents, but as moments of sheer joy), "Learn, Climb, and Grow in Wilkinsburg" at the Green Playce at the Hosanna House went very well. In some ways…Read More
Kicking Off in Clairton Posted on August 11, 2016 by wpengine This fall, 12 new Ambassadors will begin the process of reclaiming a vacant space in the City of Clairton, PA. We couldn't be more excited to be working with residents and leaders in Clairton as we begin the journey of addressing issues of vacancy and blight. ReClaim Clairton, with support from the Jefferson Regional Foundation and partners like Economic Development South and the Steel Valley Council of Governments, is shaping up to be huge success already. While we officially launched…Read More
The 5 types of bikers who should check out Two Wheels Lots of Green Posted on August 9, 2016 by wpengine 1. The Explorer Maybe we’re biased, but exploring Pittsburgh by bike is the best and most fun way to see the city. If you agree, this ride is for you! This year’s guided bike tour features unique greenspaces, including gardens, games, colorful trailheads, outdoor classrooms designed by youth, a ribbon cutting ceremony, and an historic incline site turned into a greenway, and more. Whether you know South Pittsburgh well, or have had little interaction with the neighborhood, we’re confident you’ll…Read More
Drake Can’t Do This…But You Can Posted on August 8, 2016 by wpengine This post was written by Max, one of our summer interns! Stay tuned for more updates about his experience. To contact Max, email him at [email protected] with “Max” in the subject line. When the deeply emotional rapping (and singing) sensation Drake was intensely contemplating whether to include Pittsburgh in his Summer Sixteen tour, he asked ONE question. “Would I be able to view the reclamation efforts in Pittsburgh that turn vacant lots into community assets such as gardens, parklets,…Read More
1839 Wylie Avenue Posted on August 4, 2016 by wpengine Our Green Playces are meant to be havens for youth and their community – spaces where kids (and adults!) can connect to their environment in meaningful ways, discovering themselves and their place in the world. That’s why we’re thrilled and honored to be working with the Hill District community on a Green Playce at 1839 Wylie Avenue. What’s at 1839 Wylie Avenue? Some might say “not much” – it’s a hilly green space behind what is now the Grayson Center.…Read More
Sign up for the 2016 Two Wheels Lots of Green Bike Tour! Posted on July 28, 2016 by wpengine We are so excited to be hosting the Two Wheels Lots of Green (2WLOG) bike tour coming August 20th, 2016! We have been working hard with our partners in the Hilltop and will be offering a wide variety of projects to feature on the tour. In case you are not familiar with 2WLOG, it is a guided bike tour designed to connect residents to (and, let's be honest, show off!) GTECH’s vacant lot reclamation projects. This year, we are showcasing projects ranging…Read More
Building Connections in Wilkinsburg Posted on July 26, 2016 by wpengine This post was written by Max, one of our summer interns! Stay tuned for more updates about his experience. To contact Max, email him at [email protected] with "Max" in the subject line. My time at GTECH has been terrific. I’ve learned a lot and have been exposed to new and exciting experiences, like getting poison sumac on my third day on the job. However, what I am most thrilled by is the fresh and creative thinking I am surrounded by and I get…Read More
Kids In Allentown Making an Impact Posted on July 18, 2016 by wpengine Our Green Playces Initiative has completed two sites to date (Northside and Homewood) and will complete four sites this calendar year (Hilltop, McKeesport, Wilkinsburg, and the Hill District). We selected The Brashear Association’s Allentown Learning and Engagement Center as the primary partner for the Hilltop Site. We couldn’t be more excited about this relationship and are excited to debut the site at our annual Two Wheels Lots of Green event on August 20th. Our annual bike tour will highlight projects we…Read More
FedEx Ground Delivers Posted on July 11, 2016 by wpengine "Fast. Reliable. FedEx Ground." That's the tagline to a recent FedEx Ground ad. It's also how their employees work and give back to the community. FedEx Ground, whose headquarters is in Moon Township, recently provided GTECH with funds to establish the FedEx Ground Impact Award, which is intended to recognize projects that exhibit significant scope, connectivity, and community engagement. This spring, Jamie Balser of South Side Slopes, a ReClaim South: Sustaining Momentum Ambassador, was awarded the fund for his beautification project…Read More