Pittsburgh’s three rivers are often the first image that comes to mind when people think of the city.
They welcome visitors emerging from the Fort Pitt Tunnel and dominate the skyline shots shown on television whenever Pittsburgh is in the spotlight, Mayor Corey O’Connor said.
A new partnership between the city and Riverlife, a nonprofit organization dedicated to maintaining and activating the city’s riverfronts, aims to ensure the trails, parks and greenspaces along the rivers receive the routine care they need.
Officials announced the initiative, called UpKeep, on Thursday, standing before an icy riverscape at the David L. Lawrence Convention Center.
“Through UpKeep, you’re going to see year-round redding up,” O’Connor said. “We are excited about the opportunity to really show off our riverfronts, not just for this year and the NFL Draft, but for future generations of Pittsburghers.”
UpKeep will focus on 15 miles of riverfront parks, trails and greenspaces, most of which are owned by the city. Friends of the Riverfront, Landforce, the Pittsburgh Downtown Partnership and Allegheny Cleanways are partnering on the effort.
Riverlife has raised nearly $28 million through its “Three Rivers, One Loop” campaign, which will support a larger endowment to ensure the work can live on long-term, said Matthew Galluzzo, the nonprofit’s president. Contributions from foundations and anonymous donors have helped the organization close in on its $30 million goal for the campaign.
According to Galluzzo, Riverlife will complete $6 million in maintenance services in the first decade of the 20-year effort.
“That’s transformative,” he said. “The riverfronts are Pittsburgh’s most important natural asset, and we all need to care deeply about how they serve as a welcome mat to our region.”
Work will include cleaning litter, removing invasive plants, weeding and pressure washing.
During a four-month pilot of the program last year, Riverlife collected over 15,000 pounds of litter and debris and cleared more than 8,000 square feet of invasive species, Galluzzo said.
“We’re ready for a full launch of the program,” he said.
Chris DeCardy, president of Heinz Endowments, highlighted the significance of Pittsburgh’s rivers and the need to maintain riverfronts. The historic Lewis and Clark expedition launched from Pittsburgh’s rivers.
The waterways have borne the brunt of pollution. They drove commerce that made Pittsburgh a key city throughout the 20th century.
“Our rivers have continually reinvented themselves to meet the moment,” DeCardy said.
He portrayed the new initiative to improve riverfront maintenance as a key part of the rivers’ story.
“This is a moment of reinvention,” he said.
