Ream Park: Emerald View Regional Park, Mount Washington: 321 Merrimac Street
While I love the benefits technology offers (audiobooks! online archives! the Pittsburgh subreddit!), there are times when the never-ending firehose flow of information is anything but interesting, informative, or enjoyable. And I know I’m not the only one struggling to navigate this challenging terrain.
I consider myself fortunate to be a Gen X-er who, in those pre-Internet days, got my education by reading indie fanzines and local newspapers, and having an eclectic and offbeat circle of friends who sometimes provided sage advice. When the world brings me down, which happens too frequently these days, I dive into the memory machine and recall the people and places I have positive and fond feelings for. For me, these intentional recollections are a bit like walking down a grimy 1990s city street, looking at posters and flyers attached to telephone poles, empty buildings, and community bulletin boards. Good things were discovered then, and are rediscovered now.
And so, with this in mind, my visit to Ream Park in Mount Washington resulted in a new memory sprouting from the old. When I arrived, the park was hopping, the swimming pool was packed, and people were everywhere, talking and laughing, and having a good time. Walking around, I noticed the posters, banners, and signs filling the chain-link fence along the sidewalk. And while the march of time has changed me in some ways, I am still who I am, which meant I had to stop and look, and in no time, I learned a lot about the neighborhood’s activities, events, and people.
I never would have imagined that something as simple as reading banners on a fence could make me feel a little more hopeful and optimistic, but it did, and it still does.
Love Pittsburgh’s City Steps? Get a Copy of the NEW Book!
City Steps of Pittsburgh: A History & Guide explores the history of the steps and the neighborhoods in which they were built. It also includes 13 guided walks and 20+ locations worth visiting—all with detailed descriptions, directions, and resources for creating your own urban hiking adventure. All areas of Pittsburgh are represented: north, south, east, and west. The book is available through all online shops (including our publisher) and local and independent bookstores.