Trip #533 Ottawa Street, Mount Washington, Pittsburgh took place on November 29, 2020, and was published on January 6, 2021.
In recent years, people living in urban areas throughout the country have recognized the importance of “free space” for parks, nature trails, community gardens, playgrounds, and other places where people can enjoy the outdoors. Pittsburgh has an abundance of these, and it’s always affirming when I see maintenance or upgrades taking place. But these kinds of spaces require something that can’t be filled by a city’s budget, and that’s “free time.” If we value outdoor recreation as much as we say we do, we need to shuffle external demands (Squeeze in a walk during lunch?) and prioritize internal ones (Binge-watch The Crown or go hiking?). Last year provided us with ample practice for outdoor exercise and socializing, so let’s uphold our end of the “free space” benefit and commit to doing more of the same in 2021!
Field Notes: This flight is closed from the top and the bottom street is now sparsely populated. Some of the concrete has fallen away and it looks like it’s only getting worse – unfortunately.
Love city steps? Get yourself the latest issue of Mis.Steps: Our Missed Connections with Pittsburgh’s City Steps! Each copy is unique and features 10 randomly selected “trading cards” of Pittsburgh’s 739 public stairways. Visit the Mis.Steps online store to see all issues and place your order.
Want to visit these stairs? You can locate them on the Pittsburgh City Steps Plan website!
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.
