Schenley Park Skating Rink Reopens Following Equipment Upgrade

Schenley Park Skating Rink reopened for the 2024-25 season this week following an upgrade to its chilling equipment.

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The city planned to celebrate the opening of the outdoor rink with a ribbon cutting on Nov. 19. The city’s Department of Public Works encountered some issues during the upgrade of the equipment that prevented the 2023-24 season from taking place.

The department completed the replacement of the aging chiller system, which was having difficulty keeping the ice viable. The total cost of the project was $3.5 million. Allegheny Regional Asset District contributed $2 million to the new chiller system.

“The installation of the new chillers will ensure outdoor skating continues at Schenley Park for years to come,” said CitiParks Director Kathryn Vargas, who added that the upcoming season marks 50 years of the rink.

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Schenley Park Skating Rink operates seven days a week and offers a variety of public skating sessions as well as several special skating events.

Upcoming special events include:

• Skate with Santa - 1:30 p.m. to 3 p.m. on Sunday, Dec. 15

• Mascot Skate - 1:30 p.m. to 3 p.m. (online tickets only) on Saturday, Jan. 25

• Disco Night - 8 p.m. to 9:30 p.m. (adults only) on Saturday, Feb. 1

• Valentine’s On Ice - 7 p.m. to 9 p.m. (online tickets only) on Friday, Feb. 14 

• Family Skate - 6:30 p.m. to 8 p.m. (one child skates free with a paying adult) on Thursdays

Admission to the skating rink is $5 for adults, $4 for seniors and veterans (with ID), and $3 for youth (17 years and younger). Skate rentals are available for $3 per skater.

For more information, visit the skating rink’s website.

Registration Open for First Event at Pittsburgh Esports Arena

Registration is open for the first event that will take place at the Pittsburgh E-Arena, a new esports forum.

The CitiParks Office of Special Events will host a tournament featuring Rocket League area youths on Saturdays Dec. 14 and 21. Registration is now open and limited to the first 32 individuals.

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The tournament will be a double-elimination event that is open to youths between the ages of 13 and 18. It will kick off with online-only gameplay on the first day of competition. This will be followed by in-person matches on the second Saturday, during which young gamers will have the opportunity to compete for the title of “Best in the City.”

Participants will form teams to compete in doubles mode in preliminary rounds to determine the final teams for the in-person event, which will be held at CCAC Allegheny. All participants are invited to attend the final round and will receive a commemorative T-shirt, complimentary food, and access to activities sponsored by Tech 25, a local workforce development nonprofit that will also provide the use of Legion Gaming PCs for finalists.

The esports forum will hold year-round community program offerings. It is designed to unite local gamers in competitive environments and provides a platform for youth to showcase their gaming talent while exploring educational opportunities in tech and digital careers.

For more details on tournament regulations and requirements or to register for the event, visit the CitiParks Office of Special Events’ E-Arena website.

Duo’s Treehouse to Offer Bilingual Play Experience for Children on Fridays

Duolingo and La Escuelita Arcoiris are inviting children - birth to age 5 - and their caregivers to spend time with them on Friday mornings at The Kingsley Association.

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This bilingual - Spanish and English - free program aims to foster healthy development for children and support the adults who care for them.

The first Duo’s Treehouse event will take place on Friday, Nov. 15 from 9:30 a.m. to 11:30 a.m. The event will be held at the same time each Friday through Dec. 13 at The Kingsley Association, located at 6435 Frankstown Ave. in Pittsburgh. 

Duo’s Treehouse

Duo’s Treehouse is an early learning community initiative designed for children, from birth to age 5, and their caregivers. It offers a high-quality immersive environment that fosters development through play. 

The program is grounded in the belief that joyful, inclusive, and developmentally appropriate experiences lay the foundation for lifelong learning. It is designed to offer a weekly bilingual learning experience to children and families who may not be enrolled in traditional child care.

October Recalls on Children’s Products

Parents and caregivers should be aware of several child-related product recalls.

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Here is a list of August recalls collected from the following major federal agencies: the Consumer Product Safety Commission, the Food and Drug Administration, and the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration.

Fisher-Price recalled more than two million Snug Infant Swings due to suffocation hazard. The recalls occurred after five deaths were reported. The swing should never be used for sleep and bedding materials should never be added to it. If the product is used for sleep or bedding is added, the headrest and body support insert on the seat pad can increase the risk of suffocation. 

Ricky Powersports recalled youth and adult all-terrain vehicles (ATVs) that fail to comply with the requirements of federal safety regulations. The ATVs’ mechanical suspension fails to comply with safety requirements, posing a crash hazard. Also, its service brakes fail to sufficiently stop the vehicle and the handlebars pose a laceration hazard.

Reyhee Group and Jinling International recalled Droyd Fury Youth All-Terrain Vehicles (ATVs) that fail to comply with the requirements of federal mandatory ATV regulations. The handlebars pose a laceration hazard if the child rider’s body or head strikes the handlebars at a high rate of speed.

Gimars Playpens have been recalled due to entrapment and suffocation hazards. The playpens are found to be in violation of federal regulations for play yards. The included basketball hoop accessory can be a head entrapment hazard. Children can also become entrapped beneath the mattress, posing a suffocation hazard.

Boyce Park Pump Track and Climbing Wall Now Open

A new sports complex featuring a pump track and climbing wall has opened in Monroeville’s Boyce Park.

The Boyce Park Pump Track and Climbing Wall is an expansion of an existing 3Bs action park into a gravity sports complex. It includes a large bicycle pump track and seven custom climbing walls.

Pump Track

The new installation will be the largest bike track in the Allegheny County Parks System. It offers varying degrees of difficulty and challenging terrain for bikers of all skill levels.

A pump track is a closed loop track consisting of two components - rollers and berms. Rollers are the small hills built into the track, while berms serve as rounded corners. The track is 740 LF and intended for all skill levels and ages.

Climbing Wall

The bouldering walls can be continuously reconfigured throughout the year to provide climbers with new routes and obstacles.

Bouldering is a type of climbing that doesn’t require the use of a rope or harness as it’s typically done on shorter walls and formations.

For more information, visit Boyce Park’s web page.

Report: Allegheny Landing to Receive $1M Grant for Play-Based Improvements

The Buhl Foundation is providing a $1 million grant for play-based improvements at Allegheny Landing along the riverfront, according to a report by Next Pittsburgh. 

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The foundation, a grantmaking nonprofit, donated the funding to Riverlife - a nonprofit focused on redeveloping Pittsburgh’s downtown riverfront - on Oct. 1. The play-based improvement project still needs an additional $1 million in funding, the report said.

A spokeswoman for the landscape architecture firm dwg said the goal of the riverfront redesign was to create a space for Pittsburgh residents of all ages.

Currently, Allegheny Landing features two sculptures by Ned Smyth - “Piazza Lavoro” and “Mythic Source” - that were erected in the 1980s. 

According to the report, Riverlife and the project’s other partners aren’t likely to add traditional playground equipment - such as jungle gyms or swings - at Allegheny Landing. Instead, they are focused on “artful play.” This could include features that encourage someone’s imagination to create their play space. 

Designs for the site suggest the possibility of water-spray features and a wooden stage. Gavin White, Riverlife’s director told Next Pittsburgh that the project was about 50% funded. Its designs are approximately 60% complete.

The full story on the plans for Allegheny Landing can be found on Next Pittsburgh’s website.