www.pittsburghparks.org May–June 2015 You continue to improve Mellon Square downtown Park edges get a facelift to frame a masterpiece ast summer you Lcompleted the restoration of downtown’s modernist park masterpiece. Today, the improvement of the “Square in the Triangle” continues as the project moves to the streetscape of this unique city block. “Mellon Square was designed from curb-to- Scott Roller credit photo curb. It integrates a park, retail stores, and a parking garage,” says Pittsburgh Parks Conservancy Parks Curator Susan Rademacher. “Every square inch of this world- “People should be proud of a design can experience relaxation, renowned place should be that serves us all so well. We are.” renewal and reunion with special.” – Dylan, Talbott, and Henry Simonds the natural world. People should be proud of a ellon Square’s design that serves us all so Mstreetscape on new interpretive wall and Dylan, Talbott, and Henry well. We are,” they said. Smithfield Street will get a Aan illuminated signband Simonds, the grandsons of total facelift with brand-new overhead have already been Mellon Square’s designer ublic and private curbing, sidewalk planters, completed. It alerts people John Ormsbee Simonds, Ppartners continue to benches, as well as trash to Mellon Square’s presence funded the creation of the be identified to secure receptacles. The storefronts above and provides a brief interpretive wall. “This garden the needed resources along the street will be history of Pittsburgh’s first plaza is an oasis of calm and for this plan to be updated and streamlined. Renaissance and the park. openness, where visitors accomplished. ENGAGE contact Kathleen Gaines at [email protected] or (412) 682-7275 x213 PPCNews_03_May-June2015v2.indd 1 5/22/15 12:25 PM Park champions like you Volunteers like you brighten your parks Janet’s passion blooms says. Janet volunteered it’s the best feeling to plant a flower bed when neighbors and in Riverview Park with the Pittsburgh Parks park visitors tell her how Conservancy years ago. “If beautifully the gardens nyone who knows you’re planting this bed, you are growing. Please join ARiverview Park has gotta weed it,” a volunteer us in celebrating this seen Janet Pazzynski elbow leader told her, jokingly. incredible park friend, deep in one of a dozen Janet did just that and has who brings a stunning flower beds. “It started with volunteered countless hours spring to Riverview Park one perennial garden,” she to the park since. She says year after year. Volunteer Janet Pazzynski works in one of more than a dozen beds she maintains Programs you make possible You make our gardens flourish Budding volunteers Last year you helped them square feet. In 2014 the plant more than 20,000 reopening of Mellon Square grow with flowers in our parks as well added new beds with Schenley Plaza as deadhead, mulch and 10,000 bulbs and more photo credit Scott Roller credit photo maintain each of these than 400 annuals. very May for the last gardens. Efive years, the pre-K, one of it could be kindergarten and first grade he largest horticultural Ndone without your children of the Temple display is the Highland support. Thank you for Sinai religious school have Pittsburgh Parks Conservancy T Gardener Angela Yuele Park Entry Garden with 18 keeping our parks celebrated Mitzvah Day by flower beds covering 14,000 in bloom. planting flowers in Schenley could never do this Plaza. Aside from being very by myself.” cute, the kiddos are counted among the more longside than 2,000 of you AAngela are who volunteer “Volunteers and Pittsburgh Parks with the Pittsburgh city workers are Conservancy Parks Conservancy crucial. I could gardeners Jaci each year. never do this by Bruschi and myself.” Rosie Wise. get asked a – Angela Yuele They oversee “I lot while I’m the gardens at Mark credit Simpson photo working in the gardens if Schenley Plaza, Schenley I do all of this by myself,” Park Café and Visitor Center, laughs Parks Conservancy Highland Park Entry Garden, Gardener Angela Yuele. “The Mellon Park Walled Garden, truth is the volunteers and Mellon Square and the Tiny volunteers from Temple Sinai working in Schenley Plaza alongside Parks city workers are crucial. I Riverview Chapel Shelter. Conservancy gardeners Jaci Bruschi and Rosie Wise. 2 Pittsburgh Parks Conservancy | May – June 2015 PPCNews_03_May-June2015v2.indd 2 5/22/15 12:25 PM You transform our cherished spaces Then and Now: Highland Park Entry Garden You brought Pittsburgh’s THEN grand garden to life arm spring evenings find the Wgrand Highland Park Entry Garden buzzing with vitality as a diverse neighborhood gathers in this iconic space. The Victorian gardens include a fountain, reflecting pool, and benches for relaxing. Individual and corporate donors played a key role with government in the 2005 restoration that brought the Entry Garden to its present- day glory, including 40,000 perennial plantings by partners like the Rosedale Block Cluster. Today, the garden is NOW maintained through partnerships between the City, Parks Conservancy, and dedicated volunteers like the Men’s Garden Club of Pittsburgh. Join us for Weeding Wednesdays in the Highland Park Entry Garden. Tools, gloves and training provided for volunteers. 2015 Weeding Wednesdays Dates: May 6th and 20th Aug 12th and 26th June 3rd and 17th Sept 9th and 23rd July 1st, 15th, and 29th Your giving has new benefits! Parks Conservancy donors enjoy Schenley Plaza discounts photo credit Mark credit Simpson photo 10% discount Free fountain drink (valid with purchase) • The Porch at Schenley (discount does not apply to alcohol) • Opa Gyro photo credit Stan Franzos Stan credit photo • Waffallonia • Conflict Kitchen (Schenley Plaza location only) All 2015 Pittsburgh Parks Conservancy donors qualify for benefits. • Asia Tea House Don’t have your supporter card yet? Get in touch at (412) 682-7275 www.pittsburghparks.org 3 PPCNews_03_May-June2015v2.indd 3 5/22/15 12:25 PM Your parks, your stories A living legacy – Ed and Jacqueline Gerjuoy Life and love celebrated erjuoy met Jackie Gat UC Berkeley in in Schenley Plaza 1938. He was a graduate student in physics, she was ou might see a flower a junior undergrad. The Ybed in Schenley Plaza couple married in 1940 and with a plaque in tribute to eventually had two sons Jacqueline Reid Gerjuoy while Gerjuoy went on to among the daffodils that be a physics professor at reads, She loved nature. We the University of Southern loved her. A few feet away a California. photo credit Mark credit Simpson photo circular bench also stands in her memory, She lived with n the summer of 1952 love for all and malice towards IGerjuoy took a temporary none. “That was Jac,” smiles position in the Westinghouse Ed Gerjuoy, her husband for labs. He found Pittsburgh 68 years. beautiful and told Jackie Ed Gerjuoy just celebrated his 97th birthday. He still has a desk in the Pitt Physics Department and visits Jackie’s space in Schenley Plaza often. how nice it was in his calls to her. He accepted a permanent position at Pitt dust. “That almost ended my Environmental Resources (where he is still professor marriage,” Gerjuoy laughs. Collection at the nearby emeritus), relocating Jackie Carnegie Library. “Half and their boys to the steel he family stayed in my money is hers and I city. “I didn’t know that there TPittsburgh and when wanted to spend it on was a steel strike going Jackie passed in 2008 her,” he says. “The only on that summer,” Gerjuoy Gerjuoy selected a garden thing that makes me sad remembers. Two days after at Schenley Plaza to is that I didn’t tell her my his wife’s arrival the mills commemorate her. He also plans before she died. She again started churning steel established the Jacqueline would have loved to be in Jacqueline Gerjuoy loved nature and and emitting huge clouds of Reid Gerjuoy Nature and Schenley Plaza.” gardening all her life Create a tribute that will last generations for a birth, marriage, graduation or passing of a loved one A $500 donation will designate location and type based on your wishes the planting of a larger (2” caliper) and park needs. For $750 you can join commemorative tree in the park of your us for a planting ceremony with as many choice. We will custom select the tree family and friends as you would like. To learn more visit www.pittsburghparks.org/plantatree or contact Kathleen at (412) 682-7275 x213 4 Pittsburgh Parks Conservancy | May – June 2015 PPCNews_03_May-June2015v2.indd 4 5/22/15 12:25 PM.