Marshall-California Parklet, Marshall-Shadeland: 2314 Atmore Street
Marshall-California Park is not an example of a 100-year-old playground struggling to adapt to a changing city. Arial maps show the park appearing after the expansion of Ohio River Boulevard in the 1970s and 1980s. I’d hazard a guess that the playground was installed as part of the negotiations and funding associated with that enormous demolition and construction project. Were the nearby residents interested in having a little park in this specific location? Did they even have a choice? I have to wonder.
Today, a basketball court and playground abut Marshall Avenue at the off-ramps and on-ramps to California Avenue and Ohio River Boulevard. All around, there is a nearly nonstop flow of private and commercial vehicles of every shape and size. For obvious safety reasons, the court, play equipment, and small seating pavilions are enclosed by a high chain-link fence. It’s loud and smells like exhaust. There are no trees, but outside the fence, the Western Pennsylvania Conservancy has created a landscape of native plants, flowers, and grass. I’m sure it looks rather pleasant to a person waiting at a red light.
Inside the fence, the court and playground amenities are well-designed, modern, and clean. There’s a water fountain and a nearly empty trashcan. Perhaps residents like the convenience of a neighborhood park and are active stewards of the space. Or maybe it looks this way because no one wants to spend leisure time in a cage on the side of a highway. If you live or work nearby, I’m curious to know.
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