December 2016 - Parks & Recreation - 37

- for dozens of park users throughout the
summer, and impromptu hacky sack games
keep college students moving from spring
until fall. Programming that continues
through the winter months ensures user engagement in any weather and has included
an annual menorah lighting ceremony, winter solstice yoga, seasonal holiday lights and
organized snowball fights. Fully enclosable
sides on the plaza's central tent allow shelterr
from rain and snow while extending its usee
into the cooler weather.
These celebrations occur in the heart off
Pittsburgh's education row, a lively 2-milee
stretch of Forbes Avenue in the Oakland
d
00
0
area of the city that is home to nearly 50,000
ty
University of Pittsburgh, Carlow University
and Carnegie Mellon University students.
They are intertwined with residents of oldschool neighborhoods and colonial-style
columned homes, bordered on one end by
456-acre Schenley Park and, on the other,
by the city's richly historic Hill District.
The realization of Schenley Plaza as a
community-gathering spot and grand entrance into the larger Schenley Park fulfills
the original intention for the space. The plot
of land at the northwestern tip of the park
that is now Schenley Plaza was originally
a gully and was filled in the early 1900s. In
its place, a tree-lined green space and a gorgeous statue fountain memorial honoring
Mary Schenley, the heiress and philanthropist who donated the land in 1889, was constructed. A Song to Nature by Lincoln penny
designer Victor David Brenner became a
popular landmark, with both students and
community neighbors gathering at the perimeters of the water to talk, study or rest.
By the 1930s, however, the burgeoning
population of the city and the accompanying need for additional parking spaces
resulted in the majority of the site being
paved with asphalt. The once green space
was now an enormous parking lot, an eyesore in the heart of this cultural district, and
remained so for the rest of the century. In
the mid-2000s, the Pittsburgh Parks Conservancy began a design process with members
of the community, city government and the

Melissa McMasters

Crowds enjoy the Victorian-era inspired PNC
Carousel at Schenley Plaza.

design firm Sasaki Associates,
with
ith a goall off creating
ti a vibrant
ib t park
k space
for the modern age. " Sasaki's aim for the
design for Schenley Plaza was one that unifies the various land uses that surround the
plaza and creates a green space where people from the nearby neighborhood and the
city can enjoy both the pleasures of daily
life and periodic special events, " says Sasaki
Senior Associate Susannah Ross.
" We designed a space that accommodates celebrations large and small, whether in small groups in one of the intimate
garden spaces, groups of hundreds in
the oval plaza under a swooping tent or
in crowds of thousands on the Emerald
Lawn. " The plaza stitches together Schenley Park and the Oakland neighborhood
urban fabric, inviting people to engage
with the landscape and with each other.
Green infrastructure elements that keep
stormwater from the expansive lawn out
of the city's sewage system - instead of
channeling it back into a nearby stream
system - were a major part of the design.
Finally, after years of input, design consolation and construction, the new Schenley
Plaza opened in 2006 to great acclaim.
The challenge of filling Schenley Plaza
with programming was met with open arms
by the Parks Conservancy. The several hundred events that take place there each year
are thoughtfully chosen for their creativity,

and
iinclusiveness
l i
d ability
bilit to
t both
b th appeal to the almost 500,000 people who pass
through the space and to attract new park
goers. Carefully considered programming
benefits the plaza's on-site partners through
increased foot traffic, which can range from
additional dozens to thousands. " Diverse
programming is crucial, not only to serving
our wonderfully wide range of plaza users,
but also for bringing new business to our
partner vendors, " says Fertitta.
From quiet, romantic walks to crowds
of thousands dancing to a band on a summer night, this green space was designed
for community interactions of all sizes.
After celebrating its 10th anniversary this
year, Schenley Plaza is gearing up for the
next decade of bringing diverse communities together. What's the secret to keeping
enthused about programming meaningful
times for a beloved green space? " Start
with good design. Know your audience
and have income generators from event
rentals and vendor partners, and creative,
targeted marketing and communication, "
says Fertitta. " And, most importantly,
wake up every day and believe that people are going to have a fun and memorable
time in your space. "
Scott Roller is Senior Manager, Communications
and Creative at the Pittsburgh Parks Conservancy
(sroller@pittsburghparks.org).

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December 2016 - Parks & Recreation

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