PITTSBURGH, PA (October 6, 2021) Mayor William Peduto joined the Department of Public Works Forestry Division, Tree Pittsburgh, Westinghouse Park 2nd Century Coalition and other community groups and members in Point Breeze North’s Westinghouse Park today to celebrate the park becoming the second certified City park arboretum on George Westinghouse’s 175th Birthday.
Westinghouse Park has been awarded a Level I accreditation by the ArbNet Arboretum Accreditation Program and the Morton Arboretum, for achieving and maintaining nationally-recognized standards of professional practices important for arboreta and botanic gardens. Westinghouse Park is now also included in the Morton Register of Arboreta, a database of the world’s arboreta and gardens dedicated to woody plants.
The park’s namesake, George Westinghouse, was born 175 years ago on October 6, 1846 and revolutionized the railroad industry with his railroad air brake system that gave engineers a way to quickly and reliably stop trains. He was an inventor and visionary businessman with over 361 patents and 62 companies. In 1871, he and his wife purchased the land that would become Westinghouse Park and it was donated for public use to the City of Pittsburgh in 1918.
Westinghouse Park is listed on the National Registry of Historic Places and the community has recently completed community engagement and planning for park restoration, maintenance and improvements in anticipation of developing a master plan with the Department of City Planning next year.
The Forestry Division has placed temporary informational banners on trees throughout Westinghouse Park for the community to learn more about the native trees in the park. There will also be a community celebration in the park on Saturday, October 9, from 11 a.m. to 1 p.m., which will include a .5K community run, tree pickup sponsored by Tree Pittsburgh, a video about George Westinghouse and information from the Breathe Project and Group Against Smog and Pollution (GASP).
FULL PRESS RELEASE: https://pittsburghpa.gov/press-releases/press-releases/5339
CONTACT INFO:
Molly Onufer, Communications Director
Mayor’s Office
412-579-8534
molly.onufer@pittsburghpa.gov
