Trip #24 Linden Lane, Point Breeze, Pittsburgh took place on August 6, 2017, and was published on August 28, 2017.
I see a towering bright yellow sculpture, and for a moment I’m confused. Is there a playground at the top? It’s so very quiet, and a kingdom for children is typically a noisy place on a summer afternoon – small humans with endless energy digging pits, running races, swinging and then jumping, flying into the air. Crashing, crying, getting up and doing it again. I’m thinking childhood thoughts about playing on playgrounds as I climb the stairs and when I reach the top, I realize there is only a private, fenced in backyard. There are no swings, no slides or sandboxes, no running, jumping, laughing, yelling, just a lone giraffe forever nibbling the crown of a tree and watching over the stairway – tantalizing those who climb with an empty promise of something magical.
Field Notes: As I was going up the flight I saw a giant giraffe sculpture and thought a playground was at the top – nope, just some person’s backyard.
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!!
