Sunday luncheon Sponsor
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Pittsburgh Parks Conservancy
45 South 23rd Street, Suite 101 Pittsburgh PA 15203 tel: 412.682.7275 fax 412.622.0160 |
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Westinghouse Pond restoration
Located near the entrance to the Steve Faloon Trail (PVGP Turn 9), this memorial to George Westinghouse has been a distinctive feature of Schenley Park since its dedication in 1930. Originally financed by small donations from over 55,000 Westinghouse employees, the memorial and pond encompasses history, art, and natural beauty.
The Pittsburgh Parks Conservancy is actively restoring this historic park treasure in partnership with the City of Pittsburgh. With $2.1 of the $2.5 million needed for the restoration raised, the Parks Conservancy anticipates that they will break ground on this beloved Cortile space in Schenley Park in August 2015.
Architecture and Statue Architects
Henry Hornbostel and Eric Fisherwood designed the monument and the surrounding landscape, including the pond, trees, and location of black granite benches. They chose sculptor Daniel Chester French to design the sculptures, including the bronze “The Spirit of American Youth,” the figure of a young man taking inspiration from the life of Westinghouse, which was described by art critics as “the finest portrayal of American boyhood.” The center portion of the monument depicts Westinghouse between a mechanic and an engineer. The surrounding panels were created by French’s collaborator, sculptor Paul Fjelde, to illustrate Westinghouse’s achievements.
The Pittsburgh Parks Conservancy is actively restoring this historic park treasure in partnership with the City of Pittsburgh. With $2.1 of the $2.5 million needed for the restoration raised, the Parks Conservancy anticipates that they will break ground on this beloved Cortile space in Schenley Park in August 2015.
Architecture and Statue Architects
Henry Hornbostel and Eric Fisherwood designed the monument and the surrounding landscape, including the pond, trees, and location of black granite benches. They chose sculptor Daniel Chester French to design the sculptures, including the bronze “The Spirit of American Youth,” the figure of a young man taking inspiration from the life of Westinghouse, which was described by art critics as “the finest portrayal of American boyhood.” The center portion of the monument depicts Westinghouse between a mechanic and an engineer. The surrounding panels were created by French’s collaborator, sculptor Paul Fjelde, to illustrate Westinghouse’s achievements.
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Landscape and Restoration
Before there was a Westinghouse Memorial, there was a Lily Pond fed by the Phipps Run stream on its way to Panther Hollow Lake. After the memorial was built, the pond continued to receive its water entirely from this natural source. But the frequent storms proved too damaging to the pond, so the stream was eventually placed in a pipe running beneath the pond. Drinking water was used to fill the basin. Somewhere along the line, a fountain was installed to aerate the pond and prevent algae growth, completing its transformation to an artificial water feature. The pond drained in 2009 due to multiple infrastructure failures that require more than temporary repair, and the monument and surrounding landscape are in desperate need of restoration. The Pittsburgh Parks Conservancy is working collaboratively with the City of Pittsburgh to accomplish a restoration plan to include work on the pond feature, landscaping, lighting, and native plants. Additional funds are needed for the necessary repair and restoration work and for a perpetual maintenance fund to protect the memorial once it is restored. Please consider making a donation to improve this beautiful space which is so special to the Cortile. |
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Pittsburgh Parks COnservancyThe Pittsburgh Parks Conservancy was founded in December 1996 by a group of citizens concerned with the deteriorating conditions of Pittsburgh's historic city parks.
A nonprofit organization, the Parks Conservancy has worked closely with the City of Pittsburgh since 1998 under an official public-private partnership agreement to restore the city's four regional parks: Frick, Highland, Riverview, and Schenley. To date, the Parks Conservancy has raised over $84 million toward park improvements. In addition to completing 13 Capital Projects, stewarding over 1,700 acres, and working with thousands of volunteers annually, the Parks Conservancy has expanded into community and neighborhood parks as time and resources have permitted. 
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