The Challenges of Reclaiming Vacant Land Posted on November 10, 2015 by Grounded Strategies Creating something new out of a vacant lot isn't always easy. There are a number of challenges a person can run into, but getting access from the property owner can be one of the toughest ones. This was the case for Bridget Little, an Ambassador for GTECH's ReClaim Northside program. This is her story. Bridget, along with many of her neighbors, had been eyeing a large vacant lot in Allegheny West for quite some time. In fact, some had already put…Read More
Resilience Across the Country Posted on November 6, 2015 by Grounded Strategies All across the country, municipalities and cities are realizing the importance of resilience planning. As we discussed in our first resilience blog, resilience doesn't just mean preparing for climate change. It means having systems in place to be able to deal with the unexpected. From heatwaves to economic crises, resilience means having the ability not just to bounce back from a disaster, but to bounce forward. There is no template to follow. Each situation, each community, each region is impacted…Read More
Streamlining Data Management – WPRDC Posted on November 4, 2015 by wpengine In a time where information is readily available, it is easy to see why data driven decision-making has become a hot topic of discussion for people and organizations trying to impact their local communities. Although vast amounts of data can lead to an informed, equitable decision or outcome, condensing and sometimes even finding such data can be a major barrier to the process of change. Despite the fact that there is an emerging need, managing mass data sets can be a big…Read More
All in for All Posted on October 29, 2015 by wpengine Live from Los Angeles at the Equity Summit 2015 Over three thousand people are assembled to learn, listen and expound upon the movement of social equity and inclusion that defines national policy priorities and serves as an ethical mandate. The three day Equity Summit organized by PolicyLink has attracted a diverse tribe of policy advocates, community development practitioners, philanthropic leaders, local government officials and progressive social entrepreneurs to stack hands around an "Equity Manifesto." The Manifesto put forth by the grace and wisdom of PolicyLink serves as…Read More
GTECH attends the Pennsylvania APA Conference Posted on October 27, 2015 by wpengine Linking Current Planning Methodology and Ideals to GTECH's Work The American Planning Association-Pennsylvania Chapter held its annual conference this past week (October 18-October 20) in downtown Pittsburgh. Thinking through community design and implementing best practices is especially relevant to GTECH's work in helping citizens facilitate positive change in their respective communities. The theme of the conference, “Making Great Communities Happen,” was highlighted in the breakout educational sessions as well as the keynote speakers. GTECH is looking to show the economic…Read More
Creating an Inclusive City for All Ages with Gil Penalosa Posted on October 23, 2015 by Grounded Strategies Gil Penalosa is the founder and Board Chair of 8 80 Cities, a nonprofit organization that works with cities all around the world to create inclusive cities for all residents - from 8 to 80 years old! (Think about it like this, would you let an eighty year old or an eight year old - or both of them, together - walk to the park together in your neighborhood?) Gil is a community designer, having worked in cities across the globe, he's helped to advise…Read More
Resilience & Community Health Posted on October 19, 2015 by Grounded Strategies What is Resilience? Resilience... You've probably heard this word a lot lately. Especially now that Pittsburgh has been named one of the Rockefeller Foundation's 100 Resilient Cities. But what does it mean? Well, there are a lot of different kinds of resilience. Psychological resilience. Ecological resilience. Social. Physical. Economic. Climate. Being resilient generally means being prepared for anything, and having the proper mechanisms in place to not just respond, but improve and move forward through their response. It's about bouncing forward instead of…Read More
Wethoptober 2015 Wrap Up! Posted on October 14, 2015 by wpengine Over 100 people attended Wethoptober in celebration of applied innovation in the form of local hops cultivation. Thank you everyone who supported GTECH through the Wethoptober fundraiser. We enjoyed sampling hopped libations from Wigle Whiskey and East End Brewery, autumnal bites from Berlin Street Foods and having great conversation about the work of GTECH. Each guest got a GTECH "g" jar to sample three hopped beers from East End Brewery, including their Pedal Pale Ale, Big Hop Harvest Ale and specially…Read More
ReClaim Ambassadors Graduate! Posted on October 8, 2015 by Grounded Strategies We love celebrating the great work of the ReClaim Ambassadors—recently, we were lucky enough to celebrate with two graduations in one week! ReClaim McKeesport Graduation The proclamations, given to each of the Ambassadors at the graduation ceremony, explained the program well; "...ReClaim McKeesport has brought together nine civic-minded individuals for the benefit of this city as the initiative is aimed to beautify neighborhoods and establish a sense of community among those who volunteer..." The Heritage Center was a perfect backdrop - allowing us to celebrate the…Read More
A Fond Farewell and a Happy Welcome Posted on September 30, 2015 by Grounded Strategies It's with mixed emotions that I announce my last day here at GTECH Strategies as the Marketing and Communications Manager. It's been a wonderful three years 3 months. During my time here I've worked with amazingly smart and dedicated individuals and connected with incredible organizations who are making Pittsburgh (and beyond) a better place. My next adventure involves working on my new home and consulting in the world of marketing and communications. So if you find yourself in need of demo…Read More
Lawrenceville United uses Pittsburgh LocalData Collaborative to sign up neighborhood children for pre-K and kindergarten Posted on September 30, 2015 by wpengine For the past three years GTECH has facilitated the Pittsburgh LocalData Collaborative (PLDC), a digital platform that makes it easy to gather and visualize hyperlocal data about the environment, local businesses, homes and people. LocalData enables members to collect and understand complex data, allowing for better data-driven decisions, without the need for a technical expert. Members of the PLDC range from government municipalities to community based organizations. Surveying and data storage with PLDC is highly accessible. Members of PLDC have access to tablets…Read More
Explore 23 maps that showcase Northside treasures Posted on September 24, 2015 by wpengine Treasure mapping in a quest to build community resources This summer, we had the pleasure of working with 11 student researchers from Chatham, CMU and Penn State to map assets throughout the 18 Northside neighborhoods as part of the One Northside Asset Inventory and Mapping (Northside AIM) project. We aimed to: Engage the community to find as many resident-identified assets as possible Map gems in every one of the 18 Northside neighborhoods Encourage and support student talent and creativity Package…Read More