Difference between revisions of "Carrick-Overbrook Historical Society:Current events"

Latest revision as of 19:55, 20 April 2014

Bird Day is returning to Carrick

A curious, grainy black-and-white photo appeared on the cover of the Heinz History Center magazine last fall. A row of solemn yet eager boys and girls, wearing short pants, laced-up boots, thick peacoats, and page boy hats, waved a flurry of American flags. The precious photo captured a moment in time in 1912, where these school children and their families came to the Quentin Roosevelt Elementary School in Carrick Borough to celebrate a grand event: Bird Day. A Western Pennsylvania tradition in May 4, 1894 was started as an initiative of Charles Almanzo Babcock, superintendent of schools in Oil City, Pennsylvania. Mr. Babock began Bird Day as a way for an increasingly urbanized population to get closer to nature and advance bird conservation as a moral issue. Children were encouraged to build birdhouses, and observe the magic and growth within them. By 1910, Bird Day was widely celebrated, often in conjunction with Arbor Day. Mr. John M. Phillips, a Carrick resident and widely known naturalist at the time, brought observance of the holidays to Pittsburgh.

We may never know why, but at some point in the 20th century, the celebration of Bird Day as a holiday fell out of fashion, but bird day is still an event among bird enthusiasts. Thanks to the efforts of the community-based Carrick-Overbrook Historical Society and dedicated Pittsburgh Public School faculty, this tradition has been rediscovered and rekindled, and after 100 years, Bird Day will be celebrated at Pittsburgh Concord Elementary School in Carrick. On May 4th, 2012 the students and faculty of Pittsburgh Concord Elementary School will welcome an appearance by Mr. Robert Mulvihill, Director of Education of the National Aviary of Pittsburgh. Mr. Rich Okraszewsk of the Greater Pennsylvania Carpenters Union and carpenter trainees have volunteered to make 75 bird house kits and City Councilwoman Natalia Rudiak has also given time and effort in support of the event. “In our modern and fast-paced society, our children need to connect with the outside world – and our proud roots -- more than ever,” said Ms. Melissa Del Rio, Carrick resident and educator at Pittsburgh Concord. Ms. Del Rio’s interest peaked after reading about Bird Day on the web site of The Carrick-Overbrook Historical Society, and the event would not be possible without her leadership.

Ms. Del Rio is hoping that by renewing Bird Day we can educate people the importance of birds and an interest in making homes for them out of wood and natural items. Ms. Del Rio hopes to begin a gourd garden at the school so that, when dried, they can be made into natural bird houses, just like John M. Phillips, gave to children 100 years ago.

For more information on Bird Day please visit The Carrick-Overbrook Historical Society at http://wiki.carrick-overbrook.org/Bird_Day.

Community Cornfest in Carrick 2013

Late Summer days, late summer nights, and the 2012 Community Cornfest!

It's coming to Phillips Park on Saturday, August 25th from noon to 6 p.m.

Preliminary planning is now underway for the greatest Cornfest ever. When you see below, you will notice that the name is the "Community Cornfest." This is joint project of the Carrick and Overbrook Community Councils.

The Community Cornfest will be held mostly outside in the park and will include our Carrick Library, Faith based institutions, our school organizations, senior citizen groups, and many, many more. The Cornfest is accepting any and all non profit groups and individuals to this event. There will be a $20 charge for your booth area and you must bring your own tables, chairs and tents. The fee helps to pay for the entertainment, permits and other essential items.

Do you represent, or do you know of, a non profit organization which would like to participate? Contact the Carrick Community Council at carrickcommunitycouncil@gmail.com.

Do you have talent - musical, dance, acting, groups, comedy? Time permitting we are inviting you to have your 15 minutes or more of fame on our main stage between acts. Contactcarrickcommunitycouncil@gmail.com.

Do you have crafts, carvings, paintings, whatever, that you would like to display? We are inviting you too. Contact carrickcommunitycouncil@gmail.com.

Although it seems that between the end of April to the end of August is a long way off, our late summer days, late summer nights and the Community Cornfest is coming fast.

Questions or need more information contact carrickcommunitycouncil@gmail.com.

Carrick and Overbrook form unlikely partnership with Economic Development South

Two city neighborhoods join three southern suburbs in effort to develop their shared corridors

Monday, February 20, 2012

By Joe Smydo, Pittsburgh Post-Gazette

In what's described as an unusual city-suburban partnership, Pittsburgh's Carrick and Overbrook communities have joined Economic Development South, the community development corporation for Baldwin Borough, Brentwood and Whitehall.

City Councilwoman Natalia Rudiak, who represents Carrick and Overbrook, and Gregory Jones, executive director of Economic Development South, pushed for the partnership because of the communities' shared interests along the Route 51 and Brownsville Road corridors.

After joining Economic Development South about a year ago, Mr. Jones said, he began working on marketing and development opportunities that would better link communities along the two corridors. He said that effort meant looking northward to city neighborhoods.

"At that time, the councilwoman was looking out" to the suburbs, Mr. Jones said.

Ms. Rudiak said she supported the partnership partly because her neighborhoods lack a community development corporation -- the type of economic development agency that has fueled growth in the city's East Liberty, Lawrenceville and Bloomfield-Garfield neighborhoods.

Community leaders hope that an expanded Economic Development South will wield more influence with state and federal agencies that fund transportation and development projects. They also hope that the communities will be able to undertake more meaningful projects together than they would be able to manage individually.

"The funding landscape is a lot different than it was five or 10 years ago," partly because state legislators have less money to donate to community groups, Ms. Rudiak said. She said government agencies and philanthropies want to invest money in high-impact projects benefiting many constituencies.

Redevelopment of a former grocery store on Brownsville Road is one possible project for Economic Development South. The site is in Carrick. The other side of the street is Brentwood.

The Baldwin, Brentwood and Whitehall borough governments make annual allocations to Economic Development South.

Ms. Rudiak has not asked her colleagues on city council to allocate money to Mr. Jones' group; such a request likely would spark debate in a city with perennial financial problems.

However, Ms. Rudiak said she and Economic Development South might be able to pool money for projects benefiting the Brownsville Road and Route 51 corridors. Under that scenario, she said, her grant money would pay for work in Carrick and Overbrook, while Economic Development South would fund the work elsewhere.

Julia Tomasic, president of Carrick Community Council, said involvement in Economic Development South has been "a nice way to get to know your neighbors" and brought recognition of common challenges.

"I think it's a really important partnership, and I think it's been a long time coming," she said.

Mr. Jones said he's working on a "corridor communities" branding campaign to reinforce the notion that Carrick, Overbrook, Baldwin, Brentwood and Whitehall all are part of something larger. He also envisions a website that markets the communities to prospective businesses and residents, perhaps emphasizing their suburban feel and easy access to Downtown.

"If gas is $10 a gallon, Cranberry doesn't look so good anymore," Mr. Jones said.

Joe Smydo: jsmydo@post-gazette.com or 412-263-1548.

First published on February 20, 2012 at 12:00 am

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