2020 has been a year everyone will remember. It tested our strength, our resolve and our hearts. Many of us have been separated from our friends and families and endured hardships, whether financial, physical or emotional. But 2020 has also shown us what has remained a constant source of respite, space to breathe fresh air, exercise and seek clarity…

PARKS.

Parks have been enjoyed this year like never before. Families gathered outdoors with loved ones they have not seen in months. Children’s senses were stimulated with the sounds of birds and rustling winds. And people of all ages rediscovered the serenity that comes with taking a walk through nature.

As we emerge from the pandemic in the coming months and years ahead, we must carry this heightened appreciation of our parks with us. We must remember that an investment in our public lands is vital to our community. By supporting the Allegheny County Parks, you are investing in your physical and emotional health. You are investing in education and safety for your children and grandchildren, and space for your pets to run and play. You are investing in the quality of life for generations to come.

The Allegheny County Parks Foundation strengthens the health and vibrancy of our community by improving, conserving and restoring all nine Allegheny County parks – Boyce, Deer Lakes, Harrison Hills, Hartwood Acres, North, Round Hill, Settlers Cabin, South and White Oak. Working in partnership with Allegheny County, the Parks Foundation brings together ideas, leadership and resources to make the parks more sustainable and enjoyable for all.

The Allegheny County Parks Foundation accomplishes this by raising public and private funds from foundations, corporations, state and federal grant programs and individuals to design and implement projects in our parks. We commission and conduct surveys, plans and ecological assessments of our individual parks and park system which guide the strategic development of improvements in all nine county parks. All projects are undertaken in partnership with Allegheny County, with the county matching most private and non-county public funds raised by the Parks Foundation.

This partnership has resulted in the planting of four native species meadows covering 24 acres and adding more than 11,000 trees and shrubs to the parks that improve the ecology, absorb storm water and create a habitat for birds, small animals and beneficial insects. 

We have also improved more than 30,000 linear feet of trails and constructed two connector trails that link to regional trail systems. The Parks Foundation restores historic sites like the South Park Cascades water feature and reimagines a new way to appreciate the valuable sculpture collection with the Sculpture Garden at Hartwood Acres. 

Parks are instrumental to how we all cope, and they will be instrumental to how we will recover. Invest in your parks today by making a donation to the Allegheny County Parks Foundation.