Pittsburgh officials celebrate purchase of Hays Woods, city's newest public park

Pittsburgh officials on Friday celebrated the city’s purchase of Hays Woods, a 624-acre site that will become the city’s next public park.

It will be the second largest public park in the city — second only to Frick Park, said City Councilman Corey O’Connor. If officials were to count the portion of the park that stretches outside of the city limits and into Baldwin, he said, it would actually be bigger than Frick Park.

The City of Pittsburgh owns all of the property, O’Connor said, including the portion in Baldwin. Officials are finalizing agreements with Baldwin, he said, but they have already decided that even the portion in Baldwin will be maintained as parkland.

Councilman Corey O’Connor spoke about the new park. He said he doesn’t know when it will be officially open to the public, but the City is working to finalize plans on trails, access points and parking. pic.twitter.com/QjxbnDhzfj

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“We are going to keep it natural and beautiful,” said Dan Gilman, chief of staff to Mayor Bill Peduto. “This is a park like the city has never seen.”

The space will be preserved as an area for “Pittsburghers to gather and enjoy the outdoors,” Director of City Planning Andrew Dash said.

Plans for the site include nature trails and a strong emphasis on preservation. Unlike other city parks that have baseball fields and playgrounds, Hays Woods will serve as more of a nature preserve.

“On behalf of the residents, the next generation of Pittsburghers, we think this is a great opportunity, because we’re building a park that’s different, that’s unique,” O’Connor said. “It’s going to be educational. It’s going to open up a part of the city. The views that you have on the top of this mountain, a lot of people have never realized. This is something that is great and unique that we are going to cherish for decades and years to come.”

It accounts for 35% of the city’s woods, Dash said, making it a key habitat for a plethora of animals and plants. There are more than 90 species of birds within Hays Woods — including the famed Hays eagles and 35 species categorized as “of greatest conservation need,” like Peregrine falcons.

The wooded area also plays a role in the city’s air quality and stormwater, Dash said.

Plus, it will be a new opportunity for city residents to enjoy nature, said Kathryn Vargas, acting director of the Department of Parks and Recreation. Officials said it would be a prime location for hiking and biking on trails or even potentially exploring urban camping.

“This is something that will help us reach our goal of every resident in Pittsburgh having access to these kinds of activities, to enjoy the outdoors,” Vargas said. “The Parks and Recreation Department is super excited about the opportunity to really activate this park.”

But the plans for the site hadn’t always included a nature lover’s paradise. Beaver County businessman Chuck Betters had previously planned to mine it for coal before constructing a horse racetrack and casino on the site. When those plans fell through, he sold it to the Urban Redevelopment Authority about five years ago for $5 million, a fraction of what it was worth.

The city bought the land from the URA for $1 plus costs, bringing to fruition the plan city officials had all along — to make it into a park.

Peduto, who has long been an advocate for preserving the site, said if there is one legacy he’d like to leave from his tenure in office, Hays Woods is it.

“At the end of the day, it’s something that was a battle that was worth fighting and one that will last long beyond the days I walk this earth,” Peduto said.

Officials have not yet determined when the park will officially open to the public, O’Connor said. They are finalizing plans for trails, access points and parking.