Hazelwood Healthy Active Living Center, Special Use Park: 5344 Second Avenue
The Hazelwood Healthy Active Living Center (HAL) building has a rather curious history. The structure was once part of the Glenwood car barn operated by the Pittsburgh Railways Company. Initially constructed in the closing years of the 1890s, the car barn was a vital piece of the City’s transportation system, serving as a storage and maintenance facility for streetcars used on several trolley lines. The barn was dismantled in the 1960s, but the brick office building was preserved and renovated. Today, the HAL is a hub of community activity located a block away from what will become a vital segment of the proposed Hazelwood to Carrie Furnace trail.
For several years, Friends of the Riverfront, along with city officials and community members, have worked to extend the popular Three Rivers Heritage Trail from Hazelwood Green to Carrie Furnace. If all goes well (fingers crossed), the Melanchton Street pedestrian bridge, which is behind the HAL, will be redesigned and rebuilt as a new, ADA-accessible bridge, making it much easier for everyone to travel throughout the southern section of the neighborhood. The project has a page on engage.pittsburghpa.gov where detailed maps and FAQs are available. It’s an exciting project for Hazelwood and those who bike, walk, or roll.
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