Prepared for: County of Allegheny Allegheny County Courthouse Pittsburgh, PA 15219 412.350.6506 South Park Fairgrounds Master Plan Allegheny County, PA March 2011 Prepared by: GAI Consultants, Inc. 385 East Waterfront Drive Homestead, PA 15120-5005 412.476.2000 Prepared for: County of Allegheny Allegheny County Courthouse Pittsburgh, PA 15219 412.350.6506 South Park Fairgrounds Master Plan Allegheny County, PA March 2011 Prepared by: GAI Consultants, Inc. 385 East Waterfront Drive Homestead, PA 15120-5005 412.476.2000 South Park Fairgrounds Master Plan — Allegheny County, Pennsylvania | 1 ACKNOWLEDGEMENTS PROJECT FUNDING FOCUS GROUP PARTICIPANTS County of Allegheny Allegheny County Heinz Endowments • Parks Department Richard King Mellon Foundation • Public Works Department • Sustainability Program PROJECT STEERING GROUP • Allegheny County Parks Foundation Andy Baechle – Allegheny County Parks • Special Projects Guy Costa – Allegheny County Parks Foundation • Planning Group Christine Fulton – Allegheny County Parks Foundation • County Council Clarence Hopson – Allegheny County Parks • County Police Joseph Olczak – Allegheny County Public Works Jeaneen Zappa – Allegheny County Sustainability Program Government & Community • Bethel Park Township PROJECT TEAM • South Park Township Dave Buckewicz – South Park Township • PA Senator Pippy Ryan Cheberenchick – Civil & Environmental Consultants • PA Representatives Levdansky, Maher & Smith Joan Cleary – Allegheny County Council • US Senators Casey & Specter Darla Cravotta – Allegheny County • US Representative Murphy Richard Daniels – Allegheny County Parks John Doyle – Allegheny County Parks Design, Planning & Sustainability Jerry Duke – Bethel Park Township • Allegheny Land Trust Jamie Eberl – Allegheny County • American Institute of Architects Karen Fosbaugh – South Park Township • CMU School of Architecture Nick Futules – Allegheny County Council • Community Design Center of Pittsburgh Vince Gasteb – Allegheny County Council • Jefferson Hills Environmental Quality Board Chris Goswick – Allegheny County Planning Group • Montour Trail Council Dennis Lynn – Allegheny County Public Works • Peters Creek Watershed Association Clifford Morton – Bethel Park Township • Pittsburgh History & Landmarks Foundation Kay Pierce – Allegheny County Planning Group • Pittsburgh Trail Advocacy Group James Reardon – Allegheny County Public Works • South Park Historical Society Tim Schumann – Peters Creek Watershed Association • West Jefferson Hills Historical Society Ed Snee – South Park Township • Western Pennsylvania Conservancy Tom Sterling – Allegheny County Parks Foundation John Stibrik – Allegheny County Parks Park Users Sam Taylor – Allegheny County • Bethel Park Junior Football Lisa Kunst Vavro – The Penn State Center • Friends of the Montour Trail Judy Wagner – Western Pennsylvania Conservancy • Park News Ned Williams – Montour Trail Council • Rib Festival • South Park Nature Center CONSULTANTS • South Park Youth Football GAI Consultants – Todd Brant, Jayson Livingston, Jeff Parobek, John Coyne, Hannah Dye Brean Associates – Karen Brean Sci-Tek Consultants – Gary Van Balen, Kevin Clark, Jamille Ford i | South Park Fairgrounds Master Plan — Allegheny County, Pennsylvania Table of Contents Introduction ....................................................................................1 Site Analysis ....................................................................................3 Public Involvement .........................................................................8 Plan Options ..................................................................................10 Recommended Plan ......................................................................13 Summary .......................................................................................17 Appendix ............................................................separate document South Park Fairgrounds Master Plan — Allegheny County, Pennsylvania | ii INTRODUCTION HISTORY South Park was developed between 1927 through 1931 to preserve rural lands in the midst of rapid urbanization of the Greater Pittsburgh area. The lands were reforested and further developed under the direction of Paul B. Riis who had helped develop Yellowstone National Park. Much of the work in the park was completed by the youth conservation corps and the Civilian Conservation Corps. Starting in the 1930’s, South Park was used as the site of the Allegheny County Fair. At the time, the county had many farms to support the Fair but by the late 1960’s farming had been dramatically reduced, and eventually the Fair could not be supported. Much of the Fairgrounds buildings and land- scape remain in place to this day. historic image of the Museum Building, clad in wood siding, at the time of the Allegheny County Fair (credit 1, see page 16) VISION APPROACH County Executive Dan Onorato proposed studying the Fair- The planning methodology was divided into four main work grounds areas as part of the County Parks Action Plan, which tasks: is transforming and enhancing recreational opportunities in • Phase I: Data Collection & Analysis - to collect and the County’s nine regional parks. analyze existing relevant data, prepare base mapping, The main purpose in preparing this master plan for the Fair- conduct an initial public meeting, and facilitate focus grounds is to create a blueprint for sound decision-making group sessions and redevelopment of the area in the years to come. The • Phase II: Developing Proof of Concept - conduct a goals of the plan are to: design charrette (workshop) and develop concept plan • transform the Fairgrounds into a facility that reflects alternatives the needs of today’s park users • Phase III: Develop Recommendations - prepare draft • create a sustainable development plan that makes the recommendations and plans, and conduct a final public most of this significant public asset meeting • engage the public in a multi-stage stakeholder input • Wrap-Up: Final Deliverables - prepare final reports and process to build consensus throughout the process presentations present day view of Museum Building from bleachers 1 | South Park Fairgrounds Master Plan — Allegheny County, Pennsylvania INTRODUCTION South Park - Paved and Woods Trails CONTEXT The Fairgounds is situated at the southern end of South Park A B C D E F G H I J K Trail Blazing GRANDVIEW FARMS PL BROUGHTON RD at the intersection of Corrigan Drive and Brownsville Road. At 2,013 acres, South Park is the second largest of the nine ( and Double Blazing) 1 1 parks that serve Allegheny County. The 77-acre Fairgrounds SANSUE DR A blaze is a paint mark on a tree HOLLY LYNNE DR site lies entirely within South Park Township. WILLIS RD next to the trail. FREDERICKA DR 2 GREENWOOD DR 2 Areas of South Park north and west of the Fairgrounds are Follow the blazes to follow ROLLING GREEN DR comprised of open lawn and wooded areas and are reserved the trail. CLEARVIEW DR BAPTIST RD SNEE DR for general park use. A restaurant lies to the south at the Ice RAMP A double blaze (like the one 3 Skating 3 Brownsville Road-McCorkle Road intersection, and residen- above) indicates a trail Rink intersection and turn, or a FOREST AVE tial areas are situated to the west. LOCUST AVE sudden turn, or some possible ONE HUNDREDACRE point of confusion that requires Catfish Run flows south under Corrigan Drive north of the 4 4 your attention. LIBRARY RD Round Barn into a stone channel west of The Oval, and into HUNDREDACRE DR HAZEL ST When you see a double blaze, DRIVEWAY a culvert at the southern edge of the Fairgrounds. TwinHills Allegheny County parks system with South Park outlined in red (credit stop and look for the next blaze! 2, see page 16) EDITH AVE 5 5 CORRIGAN DR DR STOLTZ RD Trail Legend TWIN HILLS RD 6 PARK DR 6 Bison Ridge Trail South Park SYLVANIA DR 6 Miles Golf Course FALLA DR EAST PARKSTONE DR MANCE DR Fairgrounds Trail 7 CLAYTONIA DR 7 1.4 Miles ALLEY DRIVEWAY Maple Spring Loop SPRINGVALE DR Corrigan Dr 1.75 Miles 8 8 (Paved, NOT Blazed) APRIL LN Corrigan Walkway MCCONKEY RD HILLDALE DR 2 Miles MAPLE DR WILSON RD Buffalo Dr Buffalo (Paved, NOT Blazed) Brownsville Rd 9 MCCONKEY RD 9 Other Trails PLANTATION DR DRIVEWAY CORRAL CT KINGS CT DRIVEWAY Corrigan Dr RIDGE RD SUNNY SLOPE RD 10 10 Blaze Symbols: South Park Trails DRIVEWAY PATRICK PL The Bison Ridge Trail is marked 11 11 by a solid white rectangular blaze RIDGE RD and is represented by a solid white line on the map. SUNNY RD DRIVEWAY Farm Show Dr MARIPAT DR SESQUI DR The Fairgrounds Trail is marked 12 BUFFALO DR 12 by a solid white blaze with a red dot, and is represented by a SLEEP RACHEL DR MC CORKLE RD solid white line overlaid by DRIVEWAY Y HOLLOW RD red dots. OLD POST RD McCorkle Rd 13 13 To clarify the blazes, a blaze symbol points to its WESTCHESTER MCCORKLE RD EAGLE PRIDE LN corresponding blazed trail. STEWART RD MAUREEN DR 14 14 Bison Ridge Trail RD Model Fairgrounds Airplane Amphitheater Fairgrounds Trail Field 15 15 DRIVEWAY GREENBRIAR DR South Park map with Fairgrounds outlined in red (credit 3, see page 16) aerial image of the Fairgrounds area with 77-acre study area outlined Park Legend 16 DRIVEWAY 16 in red Boundary PARKFORD DR Parking Lots 17 17 SOUTHWELL DR Shelters South Park Fairgrounds Master Plan — Allegheny County, Pennsylvania | 2 OAKHILL DR Restrooms HOUT RD 18 DR SHELLEY 18 Pools BRANDIS AVE Playgrounds KEATS DR GOULD DR Park Bldgs 19 BROWNSVILLE RD 19 Ballfields A B C D E F G H I J K Allegheny County Division of Computer Services