Summer and the end of a pandemic provide the right time to get out of the house and enjoy a Citiparks facility in Carrick or nearby neighborhoods in Pittsburgh, PA.
Citiparks is the everyday name for the Pittsburgh Department of Parks and Recreation. They operate facilities and programs for people of all ages throughout the city.
- Phillips Park
- Phillips Park in Carrick provides a recreation center with indoor and outdoor sporting activities, crafts and educational programs year round. After school, children play games, do arts and crafts, and play basketball. Citicamps is available in the summer. Weight rooms can be used for $5 per month. During the COVID-19 pandemic, the rec center was open only for CitiCamp Programming and the weight room.
- A disc golf course can be played in the park. Disc golf is like golf, except a disc is thrown like a Frisbee.
- Walking paths are available. The views are excellent. One path follows the contour of the disc golf course.
- At the Phillips Park swimming pool, people can learn to swim or join a swim team. A water aerobics class is available.
- In 2021, Citiparks found it challenging to recruit and hire lifeguards. Their normal Aquatic Programs, including learning to swim and water aerobics classes, were not available.
- McKinley Park
- McKinley Park in Beltzhoover has places to play and picnic shelters to rent, football, baseball and softball fields, tennis courts, hiking trails and a community center. With 79 acres, it is the largest city park in South Pittsburgh.
- The course at McKinley Skate Park has ramps, half-pipes, splines and rails. Whether they use a board or blades, experienced and beginner skaters will find a challenge that matches their balance and skill.
- The park is greener than ever with rain gardens that capture stormwater that would otherwise flow into Saw Mill Run. The stormwater is stored underground and released slowly to reduce flooding.
- Located right next to Bon Air – city maps show part of the park is in Bon Air – McKinley Park is less than ten minutes from Carrick.
- Brookline Memorial Park
- Brookline Memorial Park offers ball fields, batting cages, basketball courts, a swimming pool, an outdoor hockey rink, a playground for children and a picnic pavilion.
- Dek hockey leagues are organized for a wide range of ages and skill levels. League play is year round.
- CitiCamp, a STEAM summer camp aimed at children who are 7 to 12 years old, is held at the Brookline Recreation Center at the park. Two 4-week sessions were filled. In education, STEAM is about Science, Technology, Engineering, the Arts and Mathematics.
- The park was refurbished in 2021. Lighting was updated in the courts and parking lot improvements.
- During the COVID-19 pandemic, the Brookline Recreation Center was open only for CitiCamp Programming and the weight Room.
- Located seven minutes from Carrick.
- Moore Park
- Moore Park offers a play area for children, an Olympic-sized swimming pool, rec center, basketball court, ball fields, tennis courts and pickleball courts. Pickleball is played on a court like a badminton court. The net and rules are similar to tennis.
- It is the second of two Citiparks located in Brookline.
- The swimming pool didn’t open in 2021.
- New Parks
- New parks are being created. More than 300 acres of greenways are being brought under the Citiparks umbrella – including three new official parks in the area and one that’s being expanded.
- Healthy Active Living Centers
- Citiparks operates two Senior Community Centers – called Healthy Active Living Centers – in South Pittsburgh. The local centers are on Virginia Avenue in Mt Washington and Broadway Avenue in Beechview.
- The centers offer activities, computer classes, assistance pointing seniors towards financial help and other resources.
- During the COVID-19 pandemic, Healthy Active Living Centers were closed and remained closed as of publication date.
Grab ‘N Go lunches are available to seniors from 11:00 AM to 1:00 PM on Monday, Wednesday and Friday. Advance registration is required to pick up a meal.
Small Parks
- Bon Air Tot Lot/Parklet has a play area and basketball court. It is situated on Calle Street at Conneston Avenue.
- Carmalt School in Overbrook is a ball field.
- Leolyn Parklet is situated at the corner of Leolyn and East Cherryhill in Carrick, and has a play area and a basketball court.
- Overbrook School Field has ball fields and a basketball court.
- Philip Murray Park and Playground is on Mountain Avenue in Mt Oliver City.
- Volunteers Field is a baseball-only field & a multipurpose athletic field in Carrick. Several area sports leagues, including the Carrick Youth Athletic Association, play at Volunteers Field.
Bonus Selections
- Seldom Seen Greenway
- Seldom Seen is a greenway and small city park hidden in the Saw Mill Run Valley just west of Carrick. It is criss-crossed with unofficial footpaths, many of which converge, loop around, peter out or go nowhere – providing an interesting place to take a walk. It reportedly became a city park in the 1980s but isn’t listed on the CitiParks site.
- CitiParks Farmers Market
- CitiParks operates several open-air farmers markers to bring farm-fresh fruits, vegetables, meats, cheese and baked goods to local communities. The Carrick Farmers Market is held at the Carrick Dairy District from mid-June to November.
Conclusion
Playgrounds, picnic areas, walking or running paths set in urban greenspaces, swimming pools, a skate park and facilities to play a range of sports give people a lot of options to do things away from home with the pandemic passing and a lot of summer still ahead.