*Editor’s note: This story was updated from the print edition to correct the name of the Perry High School football team.

Chestnut Street reopens

Chestnut Street has reopened after a lengthy renovation project that saw new bricks and sidewalks installed along the historic road, among other improvements.

A ribbon cutting ceremony celebrated the reopening on July 16. The ceremony was attended by Pittsburgh Mayor Ed Gainey, Councilman Bobby Wilson, members of the Community Alliance of Spring Garden-East Deutschtown (CASGED) and officials involved in the construction.

The new brick surface of the road is more level compared to the old street, which had become bumpy and uneven, as well as plagued by drainage issues.

The renovation did, however, see the removal of the street’s historic street car rails. Those rails are planned to be repurposed for an art installation.

Lisa McAnany, president of CASGED, said the group is partnering with Industrial Arts Workshop for the installation, which will likely go in the green space at the corner of Chestnut Street and Tripoli Street. A public feedback meeting for the installation is tentatively scheduled for September, though an exact date or location has yet to be determined.

Local officials were pleased to see the reopening of the road. Erik Kath, a member of CASGED’s board, praised Mayor Gainey for helping push the project along to completion.

“You literally bought my vote with bricks,” Kath said. Wilson called the project a “testament” to Northsiders not giving up, and a move toward making Chestnut a “real main street” as it was in the past.

Reggae at Riverview back for 4th year

Reggae at Riverview will once more bring Jamaican tunes to one of Pittsburgh’s scenic parks. This year’s iteration of the event will take place on Aug. 3, from 1 to 9 p.m. at the Valley Refuge Center, rain or shine.

What started as a “throw a reggae party with friends” event, according to lead organizer Kevin Maskol, has turned into a major music festival for the Northside. This year, Reggae at Riverview will feature its own stage and sound sys- tem, making the music clearer than before.

Reggae at Riverview has also booked some big names, including Regular People, a traveling band out of New York, and Carlton Livingston, known for his 1984 song “100 Weight of Collie Weed.”

A total of three bands, along with Livingston, will perform during the festival. There will also be several DJs performing shorter music sets.

Bob Lampenfield, also known as Rasta Bob, assists with the organization of the festival and also performs in it, playing with his band Truth and Rites, for which he performs as the bassist. Truth and Rites will perform the backing track to Livingston’s performance.

“Even if you’re not all that familiar with (reggae music), I think you’ll come away loving reggae music,” said Lampenfield of the festival.

Reggae at Riverview remains a free event, though there will be food and craft vendors present. In addition to the music, there will be live art, including a graffiti artist creating works. Among the food vendors will be T.O.C. Jerk Center, who Maskol said makes “really authentic Jamaican food.”

“It’s really not to be missed,” Maskol said of this year’s Reggae at Riverview. “It’s a really cool part of Pittsburgh on the Northside.”

Perry Commodores football team announce 2024 game schedule

Local football fans can rejoice, as the schedule for the Perry High School fall football season has been announced.

The schedule is as follows:

• Aug. 23, vs. Avonworth, at Lenzer Stadium, 7 p.m.
• Aug. 30, vs. Uniontown, at Uniontown, 7 p.m.
• Sept. 12, vs. Allderdice, at Cupples Stadium, 7 p.m.
• Sept. 20: vs. USO, at Cupples Stadium, 7 p.m.
• Sept. 27, vs. Wheeling Central, at Wheeling Central, 7 p.m.
• Oct. 4, vs. Brashear, at Cupples Stadium, 7 p.m.
• Oct. 10, vs. Carrick, at Cupples Stadium, 7 p.m.

In addition, the team has begun its off-season conditioning, which is open to all Perry students as well as most charter school students as long as they live on the Northside.

The conditioning takes place Mondays through Thursdays, from 2:30 to 6 p.m. The team starts in the weight room at Perry High School and then moves down to the practice field at the bottom of Vinceton Street.

Any students interested in participating should show up with a sports physical and proof of residency, preferably the most recent report card. If students do not have a physical or other needed documentation, coaching staff can provide information and resources to help, so they can still come to the conditionings for advice.

For more questions, email either Head Coach Steve Hale at SHale1@pghschools.org or Assistant Coach Brett Schaeffer at BSchaeffer1@pghschools.org.