Plans to revamp Cheswick's Rachel Carson Riverfront Park could 'rejuvenate' community

Major changes are on the horizon at Cheswick’s Rachel Carson Riverfront Park as the borough prepares to present its new master plan to community members.

Developed using community input over the course of more than a year, the plan seeks to completely redesign the green space with numerous improvements and new amenities.

Located at the end of Duquesne Avenue along the Allegheny River, the park currently hosts a small pavilion and walking path in addition to a patch of rocky riverfront.

But, if the master plan comes to fruition, the site will eventually contain a new pavilion, boat and fishing dock, river overlook and an expanded walking path, among other amenities.

The park dates to 1992, when it was donated to Cheswick by Duquesne Light, which still maintains a large electrical tower at the site.

The park recently had been closed for several years as crews tore through park grounds as part of a lengthy sewage upgrade in the region.

But that project was one of two things that finally allowed for large-scale upgrades at the park, since it provided on-site sewage and water, according to Keely McDonald.

McDonald is a designer at Pashek MTR, the Pittsburgh-based architecture firm heading up the project.

The other major change took place across Duquesne Avenue, as the coal-fired Cheswick Generating Station was recently decommissioned and demolished. Without demand for coal at the site, McDonald said, the park’s riverfront is now free from once-­frequent barge traffic.

In the new master plan, that riverfront takes center stage.

An extended dock would allow pleasure crafts to tie off, and a storage area would provide a spot for kayakers to stash their boats, McDonald said.

In addition to the angling opportunities on the dock, another designated fishing space would sit in a wooded area just downstream.

McDonald said designers and Cheswick officials, including council President Brad Yaksich, sought to utilize the several mooring piers that dot the park’s shoreline.

The result: a long river overlook at pier level, taking park-goers from the walking path to an elevated platform with views up and down the Allegheny Valley. An additional stone overlook would grade downward toward the river just behind the proposed community pavilion.

The current 0.16-mile walking loop would be extended to a quarter-mile. The plan also seeks to add three walking trails in forested areas.

Other amenities would consist of traditional park items including a playground, bench swings and a new gazebo.

Plan in hand, Yaksich and Councilwoman Shawna Almes said the borough will begin searching for grants to fund it.

“You just have to have a vision to make an improvement and make it a reality,” Almes said.

Cheswick already has its first grant in hand to build an on-site bathroom near the park’s entrance, she said. That facility will likely be installed next summer, Almes said.

But the timeline for improvements is a bit more hazy, as the borough looks “everywhere it can” for funds, Yaksich said.

According to project plans, the various improvements and amenities would be divided into construction phases.

After the bathrooms, the next phase would see the expansion of the walking path and the construction of the improved pavilion.

Once that’s complete, the borough would begin working on the proposed fishing and boat dock, followed by the additional trails in the wooded area of the park and the river overlook.

The final phase of the project would include the building of the gazebo and the sloping stone overlook.

“We’re going to get started next year with what we can affordably do and what we have for the grants,” Yaksich said.

State Rep. Mandy Steele, D-Fox Chapel, has helped secure grants that have funded the planning process so far, and she said she’s committed to making sure the project is done well as it progresses.

That means searching for more grants and continuing to direct community interest toward the park, Steele said.

Projects like these, she said, have the potential to “rejuvenate” communities throughout the Allegheny Valley.

Steele is among several speakers set to present the master plan to residents at Cheswick’s Fall Community Day this weekend.

The event will take place from 4 to 7 p.m. Saturday, Sept. 27, at the park. In addition to foods and crafts, several local dignitaries will show off their plans for the site and solicit further feedback.

Though it will likely be an extended process to complete each piece of the master plan, Yaksich said, Cheswick is pressing on with the community in mind.

“One of the reasons we’re pushing so hard for this is we believe the community deserves nice things,” Yaksich said. “The community deserves a nice park.”