District 1 News: Councilman Bobby Wilson

Hello everyone, While we prepare for the upcoming summer season, I want to highlight some of the exciting developments happening on the Northside. At the end of May, I proudly stood alongside Pittsburgh Parks Conservancy Executive Director Catherine Qureshi, State Senator Wayne Fontana, Allegheny County Executive Rich Fitzgerald, Deputy Mayor Jake Pawlak, Duquesne Light Company’s Vice President of Communications and Corporate Responsibility Christine Waller, Diana Bucco from The Buhl Foundation, members of the Allegheny Commons Initiative, and many residents of the Northside at the groundbreaking ceremony for Phase Two of the North Promenade Restoration in Allegheny Commons Park.

The reconstruction of the North Promenade will stretch from Federal Street towards the George Washington Monument and will include new lighting, pathways, and benches, as well as a pedestrian-friendly crossing at Arch Street. Community members will enjoy a brighter, safer, and more accessible experience in Pittsburgh’s oldest park, which has been fundamental to the health and well-being of its neighbors since 1789. This project leverages hundreds of thousands of dollars allocated by Pittsburgh City Council, the Pittsburgh Parks Conservancy, Duquesne Light Company and additional partners in government and philanthropy at every level. I am thankful to everyone involved in this project and am looking forward to its completion and enjoyment by the community.

The Citiparks Farmers Market, another important part of Allegheny Commons Park, started on May 26 and runs every Friday through Nov. 17. The market is open from 3 p.m. to 7 p.m. and sells farm-fresh fruits, vegetables, meats, cheese, baked goods and much more. All CitiParks Farmers Markets accept food stamps (SNAP) and credit and debit cards as part of Just Harvest’s Fresh Access program. For more information, visit justharvest. org/fresh-access.

If you’re looking for fun, free entertainment this summer, head to Riverview Park on Saturday evenings from June 10 through Aug. 26 for the “Stars at Riverview” concert series. Attendees are invited to bring a lawn chair or spread a blanket on Observatory Hill for incredible musical entertainment sponsored by the Allegheny Regional Asset District. Each week concerts will be followed by a showing of “Dollar Bank Cinema in the Park.” The full schedule of concerts can be found here: pittsburghpa.gov/events/riverview-series. The full schedule for movies can be found here: pittsburghpa.gov/events/cinema-riverview. Thank you to the Citiparks Office of Special Events for continuing to provide these free events for Northside residents.

The City’s Department of Public Works and Bureau of Environmental Services will be delivering new 32-gallon blue recycling bins to neighborhoods on the Northside starting June 6. For full details on the program, please visit pittsburghpa. gov/dpw/recycling-blue-bins.

I’m very excited to share that Allegheny County’s Whole Home Repairs Program is accepting applications now through June 30. In order to qualify for the program, you must own and live in a house needing repairs in Allegheny County, be living in a home with significant habitability issues like roof damage, unsafe electric wiring or accessibility concerns, and have a total income that doesn’t exceed 80% of the Area Median Income (AMI) for Allegheny County. To apply online, please visit actionhousing.org/our-services/allegheny- county-whole-home-repairs-program/. Those without WiFi or computer access can contact ACTION-Housing at (412) 248-0021 or email wholehomerepairs@ actionhousing.org to obtain a paper application or complete an application over the phone. Paper applications received after June 30 cannot be processed.

On a personal note, I want to thank everyone for supporting my re-election campaign on May 16, 2023 and helping me secure the Democratic nomination for City Council District 1. I look forward to continuing the work of representing and advocating for everyone who lives in my Council District.

If you have any questions or concerns about any of the items discussed in this column or any other City issues, please call us at (412) 255-2135, email us at district1@pittsburghpa.gov, or find us on Facebook and Twitter. My staff and I look forward to hearing from you!