Trip #171 Alvin Street, Greenfield, Pittsburgh took place on July 28, 2018, and was published on August 10, 2018.
In fact, there is so much auditory activity happening here that when I close my eyes, it’s hard to concentrate. I feel like my sense of hearing has ADHD! My brain is bouncing all over trying to make sense of what I’m taking in: birds squawking, traffic, 70s rock music from a backyard, birds chirping, wind in the branches, birds singing, a car driving down the street in back of me, birds, birds, more birds. It’s dizzying! I realize that listening, really listening, is work. It’s hard work, and it requires energy and focused attention. And it makes me realize that even though I can hear, I’m not always listening as well as I could be.
Field Notes: Alvin Street is a connector flight from Yoder, super quiet and cute with lots of good smelling flowers and plants. There used to be a house off of this flight (see the opening) – I wonder if it was an orphan house before the street below or above was paved. ???
Want to visit these stairs? You can locate them on the Pittsburgh City Steps Plan website!
See the Risograph print of this photo and story in the Mis.Steps Shop.
Be a good neighbor! Have you visited these stairs and found them in poor condition or that illegal dumping (large items like tires, old furniture, and construction debris) and trash were abundant in the area? There are two things you can do to take action and make our city steps cleaner and safer for everyone! First, grab a photo if you can, and submit a report to Pittsburgh 311. All problems, both broken stairs, and railings, as well as trash and dumping, should be reported to the city. You can easily do this online or by calling. If the location has an abundance of illegal dumping and trash, also contact Allegheny Cleanways, letting them know the location and the nature of the garbage. Thank you!!
