Tag: Triboro ecodistrict

Elements of the Triboro Ecodistrict: the six focus areas

Posted on by Alyse Horn

Above: The Millvale Youth Bike Rally, hosted yearly by the Millvale Community Library, gives out free bicycles to kids and teens in the borough. The library is solar powered and has a Community Free Fridge on the back deck with free pantry items, produce, and prepared meals for neighbors in need.

When the ecodistrict planning process began in Millvale in 2012, residents identified three quality of life lenses necessary for sustainable community development: Food, Water, and Energy.

This was released with the first iteration of the Millvale Ecodistrict Pivot Plan in 2014, which sought to build on community assets in designing system-based solutions to address community challenges.

After further engagement and implementation work with the community, the Millvale Ecodistrict Pivot Plan 2.0 was released in 2016 and expanded the lenses to include: Equity, Air Quality, and Mobility. These lenses were adopted and modified by Sharpsburg and Etna to fit their communities and in 2019 the Sharpsburg Community Vision Plan and Etna EcoDistrict Plan were released. 

In an effort to create language that is accessible to everyone, the quality of life lenses serve to provide a framework that uses comprehensive and inclusive language while highlighting the three Borough’s most central needs in following their ecodistrict plans.

To learn more about the elements of the Triboro Ecodistrict and what they mean to each community, we’ve compiled a list of the three Borough’s lens definitions and projects that align with each.

While the projects may be housed under a specific issue, it should be noted that many serve multiple issues simultaneously with Equity acting as the overarching lens found in each quality of life area.

By pursuing these community-serving initiatives, the Triboro Ecodistrict fosters three inclusive communities that embrace diversity and empower residents to shape their future individually and collectively.

Equity

Millvale: Millvale is a place of self-determination, where Millvalians are able to participate and shape their future as well as the future of Millvale.

  • Project: Millvale Youth Dance and the work of Jenny Jo Mendak
    • Mendak, owner of Hometown Tattoo and a Millvale representative on the Triboro Ecodistrict Advisory Board, started Millvale Youth Dance and Events because the borough was lacking space and programs for local kids. Including the dance, she also hosts talent shows, pizza parties, hikes, and her door is always open for kids who need someone to talk to. In an effort to create a third space for kids, she is currently working with the Millvale Community Development Corporation to turn a vacant lot into a playground with funding from The Grable Foundation.

Sharpsburg: Sharpsburg is a community of opportunity where we thrive as individuals and collectively.

  • Project: Sharpsburg Comprehensive Affordable Housing Action Plan 
    • Over the past five years, interest in Sharpsburg properties has reached heights not seen in generations. As more young families and people with higher incomes seek to live in Sharpsburg, the risk of displacement faced by longtime residents, especially renters, is critical. Add to this pressure the once-in-a-lifetime opportunity to redevelop Sharpsburg’s riverfront, long a metal scrapyard, from brownfield to mixed-use community asset, and it’s clear that the community needs to work to preserve and plan for a diverse mix of housing options that allows for people at all income levels to enjoy life in Sharpsburg. Over the next year, Sharpsburg Neighborhood Organization and community partners will work with Studio for Spatial Practice to engage residents in a planning process that will help create a strategy for everything from housing-related programs for residents to development plans for different types of housing affordable and accessible to Sharpsburgers.

Etna: Etna is an inclusive community that embraces diversity and activates everyone to shape our future together.

  • Project: Etna Center for Community
    • Located at 341-343 Butler St., the Etna Center for Community will be a community center and community library upon completion. Etna entered an agreement in December 2021 with the Millvale Community Library to create the Rivertown Library System, and the two boroughs will share staff and resources to bring complementary services to each community. There’s been a critical educational asset missing from Etna since the library closed in 2004 and the Etna Center for Community will reinforce equity as well as each of the Triboro’s quality of life issues with programs such as: early childhood education, senior programming, food programming, access to technology, and more. In August 2022, Etna Community Organization began a monthly Library Series to gain feedback and input from the community on what kinds of programming they’d like to see.

Food

Millvale: Millvale is a foodie paradise known for hyper local production. 

  • Project: Millvale Market
    • A project by Jen Saffron, owner of Sprezzatura, and Derek Dumont, former buyer for Harvie, the Millvale Market aims to offer local produce, pantry items, and prepared foods for residents. Millvale is considered a food desert, and this market changes that for the community. Accepting SNAP benefits, they are going to work with as many local farmers and purveyors as possible while offering affordable products.

Sharpsburg: Sharpsburgers will have access to affordable and healthy food and will be connected to a regional food network.

  • Project: Sharpsburg Local Food Network 
    • In 2020, the Sharpsburg Market Garden opened and continues to grow fruits and vegetables that are freely given to anyone in need. In its first year, it provided 190 pounds of produce for the community. In 2022, Second Harvest Thrift Store installed a Community Free Fridge and Pantry outside of the building that is open 24 hours a day, 365 days a year for anyone to take what they need or leave what they don’t.

Etna: Etna is a food-secure community with opportunities to grow, buy, share, and eat food locally. 

  • Project: Dinners for Neighbors
    • During the early days of the pandemic, Etna Community Organization created the Dinners for Neighbors program and offered free, prepared meals for residents to pick up every Wednesday. The meals were funded by donations and the food was prepared by local restaurants and caterers. They also delivered meals to the residents of Etna Commons, the borough’s senior high rise, who were particularly isolated during that time. Etna also partnered with Sharpsburg Neighborhood Organization and Allegheny County Health Department to distribute produce boxes. In the end, the program ran for 17 weeks. They distributed 3,650 meals, reinvested $31,138 in 24 local businesses, and provided 8,800 lbs. of fresh produce to residents.

Water

Millvale: Millvale is part of a just watershed system known for productive and pleasurable landscapes. 

  • Project: Girty’s Run Cleanup
    • In July 2022, George Ackerman and Olivia Ivatts organized a Girty’s Run Cleanup (Girty’s Run is a tributary of the Allegheny River and runs through Millvale). Fifteen volunteers finely combed the creek and removed a wide variety of trash from the run. A special thanks to the Penn State Extension Master Watershed Steward program, and Mary Wilson, who brought out most of the volunteers to help that day.

Sharpsburg: Sharpsburg will integrate and celebrate water as an asset throughout the community.

  • Project: FEMA Community Rating System
    • With Sharpsburg’s long history of flooding and related issues, many property owners are required to pay for flood insurance through FEMA’s National Flood Insurance Program. In an effort to offset the costs and improve flood mitigation activities in the community, the borough is working to enter into the National Flood Insurance Program’s Community Rating System. The program gives communities a classification based on their level of flood mitigation and preparedness activities, which results in discounts applied to flood insurance premiums for all property owners in the community. In July 2022, Sharpsburg Neighborhood Organization hosted the first Flood Awareness Day + Week.

Etna: Etna is a resilient community that protects its people and waterways through creative water interventions. 

  • Project: Etna EcoPark
    • With its main function being stormwater management, this park sits at the lowest point in Etna’s flood plain and is built on the site of a flooded-out and abandoned building. It has a 1000 sq. ft. rain garden and the entire surface of the park is permeable. The space also hosts monthly Nature Nights, an environmental program for kids and families in the area.

Mobility

Millvale: Millvale is a place where people of all ages have the freedom to move safely. 

  • Project: Solar Powered Crosswalks
    • Through grant funding provided by New Sun Rising from the PA State Department of Community and Economic Development through State Rep Sara Innamorato’s office, solar powered crosswalks were installed by the Borough of Millvale Public Works Department on Evergreen Avenue. The road is highly trafficked and the crosswalks add additional visibility and safety for pedestrians. (This project has also been installed in Etna and Sharpsburg using the grant funding.)

Sharpsburg: Mobility is essential for all generations and should improve quality of life and advance the economy. 

  • Project: Bike Share Program at Sharpsburg Community Library
    • Through Healthy Ride’s Recycle A Bike program, Sharpsburg Neighborhood Organization (SNO) and Triboro Ecodistrict secured five bicycles for the Sharpsburg Community Library; the organizations are working together to design and launch a bike share program giving residents the opportunity to check out bicycles using their library card. New bicycle racks are being installed for this program at the library using funding from the Hillman Foundation and with help from Bike Pittsburgh.

Etna: Etna is a connected community where people of all ages have safe, reliable, and affordable mobility options.

  • Project: Etna Riverfront Trail and Park
    • A decade ago, the Borough of Etna and residents began reimagining what the long industrialized riverfront could look like through the Allegheny County Community Trails Initiative. The Etna Riverfront Trail and Park development plan included 17 municipalities and will eventually connect to the Three Rivers Heritage Trail, which will connect Pittsburgh to Erie when completed. The Borough is also developing another trail from Shaler to Etna, with support from Etna Community Organization, called the Pine Creek Connector Trail. I will run from Kiwanis Park in Shaler through to the Etna trail with improvements to the pedestrian and bike infrastructure in Etna and around the Route 28 interchange.

Air Quality

Millvale: Millvale is home to clean air communities where people breathe easy indoors and outdoors. 

  • Project: The Reserve & Shaler Land Protection Project
    • Allegheny Land Trust is working to protect 62-acres of farm and forest land in the Girty’s Run Watershed in Reserve and Shaler Townships, upslope and upstream of Millvale Borough. The community and Shaler Area High School Sustainability Students are raising $50,000 locally to unlock grants and close the funding gap, with $650,500 needed to purchase the land by December 2022. Protecting this land will preserve habitat for native flora and fauna, absorb heavy rainwater from Girty’s Run Watershed, and conserve thousands of trees that offset our carbon footprint.
    • In 2021, Allegheny Land Trust permanently protected 155-acres of Girty’s Woods from development.

Sharpsburg: Sharpsburgers will breathe clean air indoors and outdoors.

  • Project: Breathe Easy Air Quality Monitoring Station
    • Located outside of the Sharpsburg Community Library, the Air Quality Monitoring Station provides residents with real-time outdoor air quality data through an online Air Quality Dashboard to inform, activate, and engage residents. The Breathe Easy Project is a Triboro-wide initiative, with Air Quality Monitoring Stations also located at Etna’s playground. This project was honored with a 2021 Governor’s Award for Environmental Excellence.

Etna: Etna is a healthy community with empowered advocates that take a balanced approach to air quality. 

  • Breathe Easy Air Quality Monitoring Station
    • The Breathe Easy Air Quality Monitoring Station at Etna’s playground, part of the Breathe Easy Project and a Triboro-wide initiative, is linked to an online Air Quality Dashboard that displays real-time outdoor air quality data to inform, engage, and activate residents. The monitoring station will be relocated to the Etna Center for Community courtyard when complete. This project was honored with a 2021 Governor’s Award for Environmental Excellence.

Energy

Millvale: Millvale is home to self-reliant urban solar villages. 

  • Project: Solar Installation at 216 North Ave.
    • In 2022, a grant was awarded by Green Mountain Energy Sun Club to New Sun Rising (NSR) and Millvale Community Development Corporation (MCDC) to fund the future rooftop solar installation and level two electric vehicle car charging stations at 216 North Ave. NSR and MCDC worked together to secure Federal Community Project Funding to renovate 216 North Ave. Owned by MCDC, they are collaborating with evolveEA with aspirations for the building to be Net Zero.

Sharpsburg: Sharpsburg will strive to become an energy independent community.

  • Project: Sharpsburg Solar Expansion
    • Through a variety of programs and efforts, Sharpsburg is working to expand its clean energy footprint and reduce its greenhouse gas emissions. As participants in the Triboro Ecodistrict Solar Co-Op with Solar United Neighbors, Sharpsburg residents and businesses interested in installing solar were able to work together to solicit joint bids from solar companies in order to bring down costs for all participants. Additionally, through the GET Solar Program from Pennsylvania Solar Center, Sharpsburg Borough was able to explore and understand its solar generation potential through the roofs of municipally owned buildings, finding that both the Department of Public Works facility and the Linden Gymnasium were strong candidates for net-positive solar generation and off-grid power storage. The Sharpsburg team is now seeking funding to make this environmental, social, and financial opportunity a reality.

Etna: Etna is an innovative community that takes collective action to provide smart energy solutions. 

  • Project: Solar Array at the Garden of Etna
    • The solar carport and EV car charger at the Garden of Etna is 6.48kW with an annual output of 6957 kWh. The car charging station is free for residents, or anyone, to use and it powers the Garden’s lights, rain barrel pumps, electric gardening equipment, and cooking appliances during food events.

Triboro Ecodistrict Workshop brings together regional leaders interested in learning sustainability strategies

Posted on by Alyse Horn

For well over a decade, Millvale, Etna, and Sharpsburg have been pursuing and implementing ecodistrict strategies, and on March 25-26 during the Triboro Ecodistrict Workshop, they were able to connect with regional and local leaders interested in pursuing ecodistricts in their own communities. 

The two day workshop at the Millvale Food + Energy Hub included speakers from the Triboro Ecodistrict and partners that have been key to the success of obtaining Ecodistrict certification; conversations were facilitated around topics such as coalition building, accessing resources, lean canvas development, and ecodistrict mapping. 

“It was interesting to learn about the activities, events and initiatives being spearheaded in these communities and how the ecodistricts work aligns directly with their work to create more partnerships, to work together with the municipalities, local nonprofits, and other individuals in the community,” said Andrew Johnson, director of community partnerships and sustainability at The Forbes Funds. “ It was very eye opening to see the good work being done.”

To help advance the Ecodistrict work being done by nonprofits and community members who attended the workshop, $1,000 mini-grant opportunities and technical support were made available through New Sun Rising and District PGH for five projects.

Applicants were asked questions around why climate action, resilience, and equity are important to their communities, and how the project will engage and educate residents around Ecodistrict quality of life areas (equity, food, energy, water, air, and/or mobility).

The communities awarded mini-grants include: Brackenridge, McKees Rocks, Meadville, Monaca, and Shaler.

Abbey Nilson, science teacher at Shaler Area High School, was able to attend the workshop on both days, and said the mini-grant will be used to explore making the school’s educational facilities more sustainable. For the Friday workshop, Nilson brought five students with her that helped brainstorm what they’d like to use the grant for.

“They really enjoyed the experience,” Nilson said. “A couple things they noted specifically was that they were treated like everyone else there and were able to converse about the topics at hand. It got them thinking about trying to take the model of an ecodistrict and applying it to our school.”

Nilson has been working with the Triboro Ecodistrict since she created the sustainability class in 2020 and said it has provided countless opportunities for her and her students to connect with community leaders on projects happening in the boroughs. Having the support of the Triboro Ecodistrict makes a bigger impact in the classroom by providing resources and an outlet for the students’ passion around equity and sustainability.

It’s that kind of grassroots level work that Johnson believes can create positive, transformational change throughout the region and beyond.

“The biggest thing I want to convey is that [the ecodistrict] model can change the world, and the work that is going on in the Pittsburgh region is attempting to change the world,” Johnson said. 

On Friday during the workshop, Etna Community Organization received $100,000 in state funding from Rep. Sara Innamorato, which will be put towards work on the new Etna Center for Community.

Etna-Sharpsburg Earth Day Challenge, Millvale Earth Day Clean-Up

Posted on by Alyse Horn

Friday, April 22 marks the 52nd anniversary of Earth Day with countless traditions being formed nationally and internationally over the years to commemorate the holiday.

For the past three years in the Triboro Ecodistrict, and specifically in Etna and Sharpsburg, a long held rivalry has given way for the lively and goodhearted Annual Etna-Sharpsburg Earth Day Challenge.

Taking place from 9 a.m. – 2 p.m. on Saturday, April 23 this year, the litter clean-up challenge encourages residents to adopt streets in their neighborhoods to collect trash and beautify their borough.

“The Earth Day Challenge is a great opportunity for Sharpsburgers to get together to show how much we care about our town, clean up our streets, and outshine Etna in the process. I’m especially excited about the free tree giveaway this year through Tree Pittsburgh!” said Matt Briley from Sharpsburg Neighborhood Organization.

The clean-up ends at 12 p.m. and will be followed by a celebration in Etna’s Riverfront Trail & Park with food trucks, beverage vendors, and a free concert featuring Sierra Sellers. The coveted Etna-Sharpsburg Earth Day trophy will also be handed off to the new reigning champion.

For Etna residents: the first 125 volunteers at the Etna Borough building, 437 Butler St., the morning of the clean-up will receive a free Etna-Sharpsburg Earth Day Challenge 2022 t-shirt. Supplies will be provided to volunteers and can be picked up at the borough building beginning at 8 a.m. Free saplings are also available from Tree Pittsburgh via this Tree Adoption form and can be picked up at the celebration in the park following the clean-up. Click here for the official sign-up sheet and to adopt a street.

For Sharpsburg residents: The first 50 volunteers to sign-up from Sharpsburg will receive a free Etna-Sharpsburg Earth Day Challenge 2022 t-shirt. Supplies will be provided by Sharpsburg Environmental Advisory Council and will be available at the Sharpsburg Borough building, 1611 Main St., the day of the event at 8 a.m. and in the days leading up to the event. Free saplings are also available from Tree Pittsburgh via this Tree Adoption form and can be picked up at the celebration in the park following the clean-up. Click here for the official sign-up sheet and to adopt a street. 

Millvale will also be celebrating Earth Day beginning at 8 a.m. at the Millvale Community Center, 416 Lincoln Ave., and then divide volunteers into four groups to focus on: street clean-up, playground prep work, Millvale Community Library clean-up, and trail building in Girty’s Woods. Protective equipment, trash bags, and high visibility vests will be provided based on the project. At noon, volunteers will be invited to join a celebration of food, music, and vendors at the future site of the new borough playground.

Special thanks to Etna-Sharpsburg Earth Day Challenge donors: The AM Group, Rear End Gastropub & Garage, Garden of Etna, Cop Out Pierogies, Triboro Ecodistrict, NC Hair Studio, and Farine Lawn Care.

Triboro Ecodistrict businesses, nonprofits can save by going solar

Posted on by Alyse Horn

Whether it’s cutting down on costs or lowering your environmental footprint, there are many reasons more and more organizations are choosing to go solar.

G.E.T. Solar Communities: Triboro, a local committee of residents and municipal leaders, from the Etna, Millvale and Sharpsburg neighborhoods that supports the economic and environmental benefits of going solar, is partnering with nonprofit Pennsylvania Solar Center to host a free informational meeting to businesses and nonprofits who want to learn more about going solar and how it can save them money. The meeting will take place at 6 p.m. on Wednesday, April 6 at the Millvale Food+Energy Hub (112 E Sherman St).

The meeting will offer creative ways businesses and nonprofits can reap the benefits of solar energy. Attendees can expect to learn more about tax credits, financing programs and grants, technical assistance and how to select a qualified developer.

The PA Solar Center will also be issuing RFPs on behalf of interested businesses and nonprofits to solicit bids for the projects from qualified solar developers. They will review the bids with the businesses/nonprofits and help them understand each step of the way. 

The PA Solar Center will even offer a free assessment of your company’s solar potential to those who attend. Those interested in attending should be sure to register here.

Contact Leo Kowalski at leo@pasolarcenter.org for more information.

Trade programs available for Triboro Ecodistrict residents

Posted on by Alyse Horn

Are you a Millvale, Etna, or Sharpsburg resident and looking to start your career in the trades or expand your education?

Sharpsburg Neighborhood Organization is offer $100 per week stipends (for up to 10 weeks) to Triboro Ecodistrict residents attending the Trade Institute of Pittsburgh, Bidwell Training Center, CCAC, or other qualifying trade schools.

The goal is to help local folks find a good-paying, in-demand career that they enjoy. If you are interested in this opportunity and want to talk more about it, visit tinyurl.com/SbgTIP or call (412) 407-7661.

For the Trade Institute of Pittsburgh’s full-time masonry or carpentry programs, classes run from 8 a.m. to 3:30 p.m. Monday through Friday, and no drivers license or G.E.D is required. Along with the fundamentals of masonry or carpentry, students will learn job readiness skills and computer literacy, along with receiving one-on-one financial counseling, life coaching, and job placement assistance with jobs starting at $15+/hour. The Trade Institute of Pittsburgh is located near the busway in Homewood in the 7800 Susquehanna Building.

 

 

Millvale, Etna unite to create shared library system

Posted on by Alyse Horn

Above: Etna and Millvale representatives gathered in the “Purple Onion” event and performance space at the Millvale Food + Energy Hub on December 9 to sign the MOU to create a shared community library system for both boroughs. Photo by Robert Tuñón.

After nearly two decades without a library, the Borough of Etna entered an agreement with the Borough of Millvale on Dec. 9 at the Millvale Food + Energy Hub, solidifying their partnership to create a community library system.

The two boroughs, including representatives from Etna Community Organization and Millvale Community Library (MCL), signed a memorandum of understanding that was created after a year of research, community outreach, and planning meetings with Fourth Economy Consulting and Allegheny County Library Association (ACLA). 

Amy Anderson, the Chief Executive Officer at ACLA, said “library services are vital to any community” and she is excited to work with the boroughs to ensure that Millvale and Etna have access to a plethora of amenities, “including not only books and movies, but computer and internet access and a vast array of programming to meet the needs of the communities.”

Etna has not had a library in the borough since 2004 and a Triboro Library System Feasibility Study conducted by Fourth Economy Consulting highlighted what Etna residents need in a library.

“Because we currently do not have a public library, it was necessary to do the study to discover the best path towards bringing library services to Etna,” said Megan Tuñón, executive director of Etna Community Organization (ECO). “There are a lot of large, regional libraries in the area that offer a multitude of services to neighboring communities, but the challenge for Etna residents is access to these regional libraries.”

Tuñón said through the study, the borough was able to learn important details about residents, like 10% of households do not own a vehicle and almost 26% are without internet access. By creating a small library that is accessible to all and has programming catered to community needs, they will be able to meet residents where they’re at.

Nora Peters, executive director of Millvale Community Library, said Allegheny County Library Association played a critical role in helping the organizations with the feasibility study, which was funded by The Forbes Funds. 

The library itself will be inside a new community center, located at 341-343 Butler Street, and be a space for people and organizations to gather and hold meetings or events. Etna Borough Manager Mary Ellen Ramage said the location is walkable for “virtually the whole community.” 

“Libraries used to be a place where you got shushed, and now it’s a place where people can go get help with their taxes… they’ve become so much more,” Ramage said. “While we are a little late to the game, so to speak, we have the benefit of having a good understanding of how to plan them from the beginning.”

The MCL is “still considered a young library in the ACLA system” having opened in 2013,  but that works to Millvale and Etna’s advantage, Peters said.

“When we’re talking about staffing two libraries instead of one, and what that’s going to look like, those decisions are really informed by the successes of MCL,” Peters said. “This is an opportunity to take a step back and look at what we’ve done well and use that as a starting point for this new library system versus learning it through trials and tribulations.”

Peters said some of the things that makes the MCL great is the intimacy of the space and “the knowledge of the community that the staff has.”

“Those are things we’re not only looking to keep at MCL, but model and try to replicate for the Etna community.”

Specifics about logistics and planning are still being ironed out, and signing the agreement is “just the beginning of a multiyear process,” but Peters said she is keen on identifying how to translate programs and services to Etna while altering them to fit the community. Rather than have the same programs in both boroughs, she aims to have complimentary services that are “equally spread through Millvale and Etna.”

“I couldn’t be happier about collaborating with Millvale Community Library,” Tuñón said. “The work that they do is so inspiring. They really address the specific needs of the community.”

“It’s going to be a lot more than just a library. It’s going to be a huge asset for our community and I think it’s important that Etna has something like that, because people here shouldn’t be left behind because they don’t have access to resources that other wealthier communities have,” Tuñón said. “This is really to ensure that this is an equitable place to grow up and to live.”

The Sharpsburg community and its library were included in the research study and after it concluded, decided it best for them to stay within the Cooper-Siegel Community Library system for the time being. 

Millvale, Etna to create shared community library system

Posted on by Alyse Horn

Pittsburgh, PA — Four organizations representing Millvale and Etna gathered on Dec. 9 at the Millvale Food + Energy hub to sign a memorandum of understanding (MOU), thus beginning the multiyear process of creating a shared community library system between the two boroughs. 

The Millvale Community Library, Borough of Millvale, Etna Community Organization, and Borough of Etna made the decision to proceed after a year of research, community outreach, and planning meetings with Fourth Economy Consulting and Allegheny County Library Association (ACLA). 

“As Etna continues to grow and change, we need to make sure that we are bringing vital educational and social resources back into our community, so everyone who lives here can have access to resources, programs, and the technology that they will need to live productive lives,” said Etna Community Organization Executive Director Megan Tuñón. 

Etna’s library, which will be housed inside a new community center, will be located at 341-343 Butler St.

Etna has not had a library in the borough since 2004 and a Triboro Library System Feasibility Study conducted by Fourth Economy Consulting highlighted what Etna residents need from a library in terms of programs and services. According to the study from Jan. 2021:

  • 20% of households in Etna have children for a total of 640 children in the borough
  • 0 child care centers in the borough
  • 26% of households do not have access to the internet
  • 10% of households do not have a vehicle

Millvale Community Library Executive Director Nora Peters said the completion of the MOU allows the borough to move forward with logistics and planning in 2022.

“When we’re talking about staffing two libraries instead of one, and what that’s going to look like, those decisions are really informed by the successes of MCL,” Peters said. “This is an opportunity to take a step back and look at what we’ve done well and use that as a starting point for this new library system versus learning it through trials and tribulations.”

The Sharpsburg community and its library were included in the research study and after it concluded, decided it best for them to stay within the Cooper-Siegel Community Library system for the time being. 

 

Contact

Nora Peters
Executive Director, Millvale Community Library
petersn@einetwork.net 

Megan Tuñón
Director, Etna Community Organization
etnaeco@gmail.com

Mary Ellen Ramage
Manager, Borough of Etna
meramage@etnaborough.org 

Brian Wolovich
Director, Triboro Ecodistrict
brian@triboroecodistrict.org 

Etna celebrates long awaited Riverfront Trail & Park completion

Posted on by Alyse Horn

Above: Partners gather as Peter Ramage, president of Etna Borough Council, cuts the ribbon during the opening and dedication of Etna Riverfront Trail & Park.

October 22 was a momentous day for the Borough of Etna and community partners as they gathered to celebrate the completion of the Etna Riverfront Trail & Park with a ribbon cutting ceremony. 

A decade ago, the Borough and residents began reimagining what the long industrialized riverfront could look like through the Allegheny County Community Trails Initiative. This trail and riverfront development plan includes 17 municipalities and aims to expand the Three Rivers Heritage Trail, which will connect Pittsburgh to Erie when completed. 

“You didn’t just accept… that you couldn’t reconnect to the riverfront. You didn’t just accept that there was a horrible brownfield here that you were never going to get cleaned up. You really took your love for your community and stepped forward to make something great and I think that’s amazing,” said Lauren Imgrund, deputy secretary of the Pennsylvania Department of Conservation & Natural Resources. 

The park’s design elements include a stage, benches, greenspace, pavilions with picnic tables, a bike rack and repair station, all of which was decided upon by the community through public meetings with Environmental Planning & Design (EPD) and the Borough. When entering the park, there are bird houses and environmental signage provided by The Western Pennsylvania Audubon Society; along the perimeter are perforated metal panels with designs that tell a story of residents’ relationship with the riverfront and were created by EPD.

During the ribbon cutting ceremony, Mary Ellen Ramage, manager for the Borough of Etna, extended her gratitude to a plethora of partners that aided the community’s reconnection to the river, but the driving force behind the project was made clear.

“It did take so many partners working together, rowing together, but we wouldn’t really be there if it wasn’t for Mary Ellen. We wouldn’t,” said State Representative Sara Innamorato. “I am a proud member of her vortex, because you know what it’s like when Mary Ellen sucks you in, there’s no coming back out. [And] you know you’re going to… see things like this trail.”

Katie Kovalchik, director of landscape architecture and communication & technology manager for EDP, said Ramage is “a very strong-willed person” and recognized her trust in EDP with the creation of the perforated panels. 

Bike racks at the park.

“She’ll laugh about how we brought the idea of doing the panels to her and she asked, ‘Have you done these anywhere else before?’ And we said, ‘Well, no, but we know it will work,’” Kovalchik said. “She’ll credit us pushing her to go further, but it was definitely a great working relationship.”

For area residents, they’ve been waiting for this moment for a long time.

Beverly and Eugene Gazdik live in Millvale, but they grew up and spent their formative years in Etna and have family who still live there. 

“We are so proud of what [Etna] has accomplished,” Beverly said. “Growing up in this area and seeing all the steel mills close… I still feel connected to Etna and proud of everything they’re doing here.”

“It’s exciting to see what the future holds for the next generation.”

The full list of partners include: Allegheny County, Friends of the Riverfront, Pennsylvania Environmental Council, McCollom Strategies, Darla Cravotta (Director of Community Relations & Special Projects to County Executive Rich Fitzgerald), RK Mellon Foundation, Pennsylvania Department of Transportation, Southwest Planning Commision, Colcom Foundation, Fugh Foundation, Department of Conservation and Natural Resources, Western Pennsylvania Audubon Society, Henry L. Hillman Foundation, Allegheny County Health Department, Environmental Planning & Design, HF Lenz Company, Frank J. Zottola Construction, Eisler Landscapes, and most importantly, the residents of Etna Borough.

Triboro Ecodistrict’s Free Little Libraries, Pantries, and Art Gallery

Posted on by Alyse Horn

Above: One of the Free Little Libraries in Etna, located at 19 High St. Photo courtesy of Megan Tuñón.

It’s the little things that can put a spring in our step, the tiny stuff that can make life less gruff. 

Little libraries, and pantries, and art, are some of those things, that when you see them it feels like your heart has grown wings.

For this feature, the Triboro Ecodistrict would like to recognize the Free Little Libraries + Pantries + Art Gallery throughout the three boroughs. They provide residents of all ages with access to books, food, and artwork, and can let people know that their community is looking out for them.

To view all of the locations, click here. Did we miss a library or pantry, or do you have more information you’d like to add to the map? Email alyse@newsunrising.org.

 

Millvale

Outside of Tupelo Honey Teas, 211 Grant Ave., sits a Free Little Pantry that is stocked by shop owner Danielle Spinola and generous volunteers like Mary Miller, who focus on providing neighbors with easy meals like canned pastas, soups, and vegetables.

“Every time [Mary] walks by, she looks inside the pantry to see if it needs to be filled. She collects a lot of food from the Holy Spirit [Parish] and she will bring boxes and boxes of food,” Spinola said. “If someone wants something, Aunt Mary makes sure they get it.”

Spinola said when stocking the pantry it’s important to think about the accessibility of the items, like if the food can be cooked without a stove, or the price of ingredients required to make something like mac and cheese with powdered cheese, because milk and butter is needed. (Easy Mac with cheese sauce is preferred.)

She’s also run into the issue that some residents don’t have can openers, or she receives food items that are well past their expiration date. Spinola said someone once donated an item that expired in 1999.

Over the winter, Spinola partnered with Pure Grub 412 to have a cooler outside the shop as well where people could grab prepared meals and dried goods. The cooler wasn’t fully insulated, so as the weather has gotten warmer, Tupelo and Pure Grub have paused the prepared meals.

This is where Millvale Community Library enters the scene. Nora Peters, executive director at MCL, said the library received grant funding to purchase and install a Free Community Fridge in the back of the library. The fridge should be up and running by mid-June.

“The fridge will be available to the community 24/7, and will be stocked with fresh produce prepared meals, frozen meals, and meal kits, prepared by local restaurants and food partners,” Peters said.

There is also a Free Little Pantry located at the Gardens of Millvale.

The gardens, Tupelo, and Pure Grub 412 are three of seven Free Fridge project partners. The others include 412 Food Rescue, Christ Lutheran Church, Sprezzatura, and Duncan Street Sandwich Shop.

If you would like to volunteer to be a Fridge Steward for the Free Fridge project, contact petersn@einetwork.net. If you’d like to help stock the Little Pantry at Tupelo, contact danielle@tupelohoneyteas.com about what items are needed.

 

Etna

Spooky Free Little Library in Etna. The book selection at this location changes with the seasons. Photo courtesy of Megan Tuñón.

Megan Tuñón, executive director of Etna Community Organization, put up the first Free Little Library in her borough in August 2019, located at 19 High St. 

“It’s a central point where people can meet,” Tuñón said. “I love looking out my window and seeing little kids peeking in [the library], and I talk to them and their parents. Meeting neighbors that way is really nice.”

The library is made out of an old china cabinet that someone in the neighborhood had put out to the curb, and the glass etching on the front was done by a local artist. It reads: 

“Etna Little Library
Free Community Resource
Take a Book, Return a Book”

Tuñón said she has a basement full of books that people have donated, and sometimes she comes home to find a bag of them left at the library. She likes to sort the books into three sections: children, young adult, and adult, and she’ll curate the selection to fit the season.

When the pandemic hit last year and food insecurity was exacerbated, Tuñón said she converted the library into a food pantry and was filling it a couple times a week with nonperishable items like canned beans and rice.

“I didn’t always see people [using the pantry], but I would fill it up a couple times a week, and it would be almost empty the next day,” Tuñón said. “Neighbors really stepped up and donated a lot to help keep it full.”

The pantry was recently converted back into a little library, and Etna residents should keep an eye out for a new Little Library and a Little Pantry at ECO Park on the corner of Wilson Street and Grant Avenue.

Etna also has a Free Little Pantry at Etna Community Garden, and several Free Little Libraries. Click here for the map.

 

Sharpsburg

The Free Little Art Gallery in Sharpsburg. Photo courtesy of Nanci Goldberg.

A Free Little Art Gallery made its debut in Sharpsburg on May 22 this year during the Sharpsburg Art Adventure. Housed next to Gino Brothers, 713 Main St., it was built out of repurposed and recycled materials by a local handyman who goes by the name of “Scrappy.”

Inside the little gallery, residents can leave art they’ve made and art supplies, or they can take art home with them, or both. No even exchange is required. Follow @FLAGsharpsburg on Instagram to see what people are adding to the gallery.

Nanci Goldberg, owner of Ketchup City Creative, said the Free Little Art Gallery is co-founded and run by Susan Adams and her son Caleb of O’Hara Township. Caleb was really keen on starting a Little Art Gallery, so he reached out to Goldberg via zoom and the rest is art history.

“We were very fortunate to have a supportive member of the community, Ferdi Baylassin, owner of Gino Brothers Pizza, who was willing to give us space for this fun and creative adventure,” Goldberg said. “The arts really need a supportive community for them to grow and thrive. We see that starting to happen in Sharpsburg and it’s very exciting. We feel like art can be very placemaking and give people a sense of community pride. So far, we can’t keep up with the amount of art that’s coming in and going out, and it’s really exciting!”

The Free Little Pantry outside of Sharpsburg Community Library. Photo courtesy of Sara Mariacher.

Outside the Sharpsburg Community Library, visitors will find a Free Little Pantry that was installed this past February. Sara Mariacher, SCL director, said earlier this year the library received a sizable donation in honor of a patron’s 50th birthday to help those experiencing food insecurity. 

“We typically fill it three days per week,” Mariacher said. “One day per week we put out toiletry products. Otherwise, the pantry is for food. [It] usually empties within several hours of us filling it, but we cannot sustain daily fillings based on our donation intake.”

If you’d like to make a donation to this Free Little Pantry, Mariacher asked that items be dropped off with library staff during library hours.

Sharpsburg also has a Free Little Library located at Marion Gerardi Memorial Park.

Second Harvest thrift restores community cornerstone

Posted on by Alyse Horn

It’s said that good things come in threes, and for this story that happens to be true, except for the first thing: the Sharpsburg St. Vincent de Paul thrift store closing in 2018.

When it shuttered, the lack of its presence created a ripple effect in the community.

“All of the organizations that I had been working with, like Roots of Faith Food Pantry and Youth Empowerment, they all said what a void was left when it closed,” said Bonnie DeMotte, executive director at Second Harvest.

DeMotte is a retired chemist who wanted to build more relationships in Sharpsburg, which became the key to her position with Second Harvest today. That, and a serendipitous conversation she had with Pastor Chris Taylor of Fox Chapel Presbyterian. The two had been talking about their dreams; she shared hers about Sharpsburg, and Pastor Taylor said he wanted to open a community thrift store. 

“And that was kind of the beginning for me,” Demotte said.

Second Harvest Community Thrift Store, 624 Clay St.

Next, around the same time of DeMotte and Pastor Taylor’s conversation, a woman who attended Fox Chapel Presbyterian passed away and left $300,000 to the church to be used “for the care and support of the local indigents,” Demotte said.

As a church, they considered how they could use this generous gift to benefit their neighbors, and those conversations led back to the desire to open a thrift store. They knew that if done properly, it could be a community asset for decades by not only providing affordable necessities to the community, but also building relationships.

“All of the proceeds stay [in Sharpsburg], and over time, our generous benefactor’s gift will generate many times more than its $300,000 value as proceeds from operations are continuously reinvested.” Demotte said.

Once a consensus was reached around the need to replace and improve upon the important pillar that was the thrift store, DeMotte and her collaborators set about finding the right space. This is where the third good thing came in. Through the strong network of dedicated do-gooders in the Fox Chapel School District Area, and perhaps a little kismet, an excellent space was identified before it had ever even been listed. From there it was an easy decision to use the bequest as a down payment for this very appropriate structure. 

It sits on the foundation of a home from the 1800s and was once the BGI Club where many local’s parents got married or where people had their first alcoholic drink. For the last 30 years it was Colortech Photographic Imaging, a printmaking company owned by Eric Palmer that started with 18 different rooms for processing and printing. When everything went digital, Palmer was down to one printer that occupied one small room and he was ready to downsize his location.

“The building was never on the market. We heard about it through channels that he might be interested in selling it and it was perfect for our purposes,” Demotte said. “The funny part is that we bought a building that wasn’t for sale and we didn’t have any money.”

The Community Corner inside Second Harvest.

In January 2020 the building was purchased, but Covid-19 halted and stunted demolition and construction. While initially frustrating, Demotte said the silver lining to the delays was the fundraising aspect, which gave them more time to reach their goal of $2 million. On March 16, Second Harvest opened its door debt free with a cushion for projected operating deficits over the first few years.

The store contains clothing, shoes, books, home furnishings, electronics, and more. DeMotte said she has seen some unbelievable treasures come through, like Versace pillows and a vintage Ferragamo bag.

“Someone dropped off these Native American kachina dolls that are hand signed, they’re just incredible. You never know what you’re going to find, and it’s just as exciting to see what comes through the door everyday,” she said.

Prices are 75 to 90 percent off of what an item would sell for in retail and nothing will be on the sales floor longer than five weeks. This system is maintained by color coding each item when it comes in. For the first two weeks of its life it’s full price, the second two weeks it’s half price, and the fifth week it’s 90 percent off. Second Harvest has created a good relationship with the St. Vincent de Paul locations that still exist around the area, and items that don’t sell at Second Harvest will be picked up by St. Vincent de Paul to be sold by them or recycled.

Jill Chiu (left) and Bonnie DeMotte (right)

Jill Chiu is a Second Harvest board member and was the head of the operating committee, which created the pricing system and the structure of the store.

“We did some research and we knew that Bonnie had the vision of a community space, and that is unique in a thrift store,” Chiu said. “So in addition to the general layout and knowing we wanted to have a community space, we wanted to maximize how much we could fit on the sales floor and make it flow nicely and ADA compliant.” 

Chiu and DeMotte said the store benefited greatly from the collapse of traditional retail and they were able to purchase fixtures, shelves, and shopping carts second hand from places like JCPenney and SteinMart.

In everything Second Harvest does, they try to live by their mission of reduce, reuse, recycle, and not buying new if they can help it. DeMotte said she meticulously referenced the Sharpsburg Community Vision Plan when creating the space to ensure Second Harvest was in alignment with what the community wanted to accomplish.

“The development of the property has been done exclusively with the six lenses [of the Triboro Ecodistrict] in mind,” DeMotte said. “There are some stormwater management and energy pieces, the green space, and kind of going along the lines of the living streets that were talked about in the vision plan.”

The building has solar panels on the roof that were installed by EIS Solar, and the Triboro Ecodistrict granted money to Second Harvest to insulate the walls. In the future, they will have a permeable paver system out front that will help with stormwater management but will “still be accessible on top so our neighbors who use walkers and wheelchairs, including some of our friends at the towers, are able to cross the surface safely,” she said.

Since day one, the mission for DeMotte has been to build relationships with the community, which is why she made sure to include a community space inside the store. She said it’s been “heart warming and gratifying” to see residents’ excitement about Second Harvest opening. 

“I feel like the more you get to know your neighbors, the less divides there are, and you have that common human element to it,” DeMotte said.

Second Harvest serves the Fox Chapel Area School District and a truck is available to pick up donations within this area. Find more information about donating, store hours, and volunteering on Second Harvest’s website.

Class sparks environmental activism to Save Girty’s Woods

Posted on by Alyse Horn

Above: students with Shaler Area Middle School teacher Chris Lisowski (center) at a fundraiser for Girty’s Woods hosted by Sprezzatura in September 2020. Photo courtesy of Lauren Powell.

Girty’s Woods has been getting a lot of attention lately.

With Allegheny Land Trust approaching the March 31 acquisition deadline to preserve the 155-acre woodlands, and around $32,000 left to fundraise and secure the deal, the efforts of supporters over the last year will peak this St. Patrick’s Day at the Girty’s Woods Get Down.

The event, hosted by New Sun Rising and Mr. Smalls Theatre, will be an evening of live streamed music, a 50/50 raffle, and more to help raise the remaining funds to garner the $704,626 toal and purchase the land.

The importance of conserving Girty’s Woods from development for not only recreation opportunities and to protect native flora and fauna, but for the lands ability to absorb heavy rains that would otherwise flood Girty’s Run watershed, has inspired many within Millvale, Shaler, and Reserve Township to advocate for the purchase. 

It has also become an elemental part of a new sustainability class being taught by science teacher Abbey Nilson at Shaler Area High School.

“It’s a really cool coincidence that the class started at the same time there is this great need to preserve this forest in our district,” Nilson said.

The year-long class has around 70 Shaler juniors and seniors in the class, with that total being split into three sections. Around 50 of the students are taking the course for college credits through the University of Pittsburgh who partnered with Nilson and helped her create the curriculum for the class.

Nilson said the students in the class are taught to think critically about sustainability issues, like food production and energy consumption, by challenging them to change their lifestyle choices for a short time and document the experience. 

The support around Girty’s Woods, however, was refined over the summer when Nilson connected with Shaler Area Middle School teacher Chris Lisowski.

“He’s very into sustainability, and he told me about this grassroots group that was starting to meet over the summer regarding the preservation of Girty’s Woods,” Nilson said.

It was during these meetings that Nilson began to envision the role students could play in the preservation of the woodlands. In the classes she has taught over the years, it wasn’t uncommon for her to grow plants from seed, and when Nilson learned about logging in Girty’s Woods, she began to think about and research what it would take for her students to germinate and grow trees.

Lauren Powell, senior at SAHS, is in Nilson’s inaugural sustainability class and said the growing process has been “very interesting.”

“We are growing Kentucky Coffee Trees, Black Birch, and several other types [of trees]. The Kentucky Coffee Trees have been the most successful thus far, and germinated well,” Powell said.

After some months passed and it was clear to Nilson that the project was a success, she created a Go Fund Me campaign to sell the trees for a minimum donation of $15 to Allegheny Land Trust and raise money to help Save Girty’s Woods.

“It’s been going really well,” Nilson said. “Some students promoted it over social media and reached out to KDKA; they were interviewed by the local news. They’ve been getting businesses to post about it, and their efforts reaching out to the community have gone really well.”

Nilson said one of the first assignments she gave the class last fall was to visit Girty’s Woods, and she believes that initiated students’ connection to the land and gave them a sense of investment in the issue.

Powell said this class has inspired her to pursue a career in sustainability and she will be attending Point Park University this coming fall with a major in biological and environmental science, as well as interning for the Triboro Ecodistrict this summer.

“Mrs. Nilson has made this class more than anybody could have imagined. I thought I knew a lot about sustainability, and going into this class it has grown dramatically,” Powell said. “Her lessons are so fascinating… and I think she really highlights the importance of sustainability by making it fun for her students to get involved and positively help our climate.”

Hillman Foundation grants Triboro Ecodistrict $250,000 for ongoing work

Posted on by Alyse Horn

Pittsburgh, PA — The Henry L. Hillman Foundation has approved a $250,000 grant to support operations and the continuation of existing programs for the Triboro Ecodistrict through 2021, allowing the partnership to deepen its efforts of serving its residents by creating more equitable and sustainable neighborhoods within Millvale, Etna, and Sharpsburg.

The funds will be used to advance joint undertakings by the three boroughs to include food programs for residents, specific green stormwater management projects, and flood preparation and insurance cost reduction through the Community Rating System.

“The recognition from the Hillman Foundation for the efforts of the Triboro Ecodistrict depicts the hard work of the three communities,” said Millvale Mayor Brian Spoales. “The support that this grant provides to us will help solidify the continuing efforts for completing projects along with providing a jump start on new ideas.”

Additionally, the grant will back continued research around the Triboro Community Library System, the launch of Triboro Solar Co-op with Solar United Neighbors, and more.

 

Contact

Brian Wolovich
Triboro Ecodistrict Director
triboro.ecodistrict@gmail.com

Scott Wolovich
Executive Director, New Sun Rising
scott@newsunrising.org

Brittany Reno
Executive Director, Sharpsburg Neighborhood Organization
brittany@sharpsburgneighborhood.org

Megan Tuñón
Director, Etna Community Organization
etnaeco@gmail.com

 

About Triboro Ecodistrict

The Triboro Ecodistrict promotes coordinated sustainable community development throughout the Boroughs of Millvale, Etna and Sharpsburg. With over 10,000 residents combined, these Allegheny River Towns are building on a strong collaborative history to promote sustainable community development through the shared lenses of: Equity, Food, Water, Energy, Air Quality, and Mobility. This is a partnership between New Sun Rising, Etna Community Organization, and Sharpsburg Neighborhood Organization.