Trip #641 Belle Isle Avenue, Brookline, Pittsburgh took place on September 18, 2021, and was published on September 29, 2021.
Have you ever noticed how the tighter we cling to our “must-haves,” the smaller our world becomes? This kind of tunnel vision can become so focused that everything on the periphery gradually fades away. The unfortunate irony of this affliction is that we become blind to the many pathways that could lead us to what we desire (perhaps just not in the exact form we obsess over). The beautiful views of life granted to us by windows slowly become shuttered, and the open doors of friendships and opportunities harden into brick walls. Before we know it, we’re alone, in an empty house, with nothing but our thoughts of the things we must have.
Field Notes: West Liberty Ave is such a crazy busy road, and Belle Isle is right off of it, but within one block it totally transforms into a quiet, residential area lined with Japanese Red Maple trees! The streets are very steep though so the city steps make walking quite a bit easier.
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.
