Thursday, September 10, 2009

G20 Delegates Will See Riverfront Development

There's a great view of the riverfront parks, trails and green spaces up and down the Allegheny River from the David L. Lawrence Convention Center, where G20 participants will gather September 24th and 25th.

Riverlife Executive Director Lisa Schroeder says the master plan for Three Rivers Park--13 seamless miles of riverfront park--is 75% complete with five projects at various stages to fill in the gaps. By the end of 2010, the park should be 85% complete. As soon as the G20 summit ends, the river landing at the convention center itself will be joined to trails into Point State Park downriver and the Strip District upriver. The convention center was built closer to the river than design guidelines would allow today.

Schroeder says Pittsburgh is ahead of many other cities evolving out of an industrial past because public and private entities, including mayoral administrations and foundations, have rallied around big ideas and pushed to get things done.

In the future, she hopes to see all three "sisters" bridges illuminated--only the Clemente Bridge is currently lighted, and she expects future waterfront park projects to include storm water retention and cleansing, as the new Casino riverfront park does. Listen to a longer version of this story here.

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