Michael Flynn Field, Spring Garden: 1550 Spring Garden Avenue
Since 1950, Spring Garden has lost nearly 80% of its population. A century ago, this area was a busy commercial and industrial corridor focusing on livestock processing: slaughterhouses, tanneries, lye production, and more. I imagine it didn’t smell or look anything like a spring garden.
The empty green space at the bottom of Wicklines Lane was once an athletic field, but that’s also long gone. The area is maintained, but aside from an occasional dog walker, it’s often empty. But that may soon change thanks to community interest in creating both a multi-purpose athletic field space for humans AND separate fenced-in play areas for large and small dogs. If you want to know more, the EngagePGH (engage.pittsburghpa.gov) project page features the final community-approved design, which also includes a large pavilion with picnic tables and a few ADA-accessible parking spaces. Change always takes time, but maybe by next summer, this lot will be a bit livelier.
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