Trip #646 Clover Street, Southside Slopes, Pittsburgh took place on September 30, 2021, and was published on October 11, 2021.
When you’re in a foul mood, even the most beautiful locale will appear “meh.” My first trip to the Clover Street city steps was punctuated by aggravated sighs and a perpetually clenched jaw. Road construction was everywhere, and each blocked passage felt like a personal attack. The entire landscape looked like a trash-strewn, cratered wasteland of empty houses. As I made my circuitous route to these wooden stairs, I’m glad I didn’t cross paths with anyone because my negative funk was surely contagious! But then, fast forward a week, and I was once again walking on Clover Street for the Southside Slopes Neighborhood Association’s StepTrek, an annual fundraiser that draws hundreds of people. On that day, the cranky pants were in the laundry, and my positive mental attitude had thankfully returned. Sure, the road construction was still there, but it no longer felt like an inconvenience. The stairs looked cleaner, the houses more welcoming. Everyone was happy and in a good mood. And nothing on Clover Street had changed from one visit to the next – except me – and that made all the difference.
Field Notes: This wooden flight looks a little rickety but it was solid enough for the 2021 version of the SouthSide Slopes Step Trek! Some of the houses lining the stairs are empty / in various states of decay. A real shame as this is such a popular neighborhood. At least the goldenrod was alive and well!
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.
