Pittsburg, PA
Parks Conservancy revitalizing Riverview Park's Valley Refuge Shelter
One of Pittsburgh’s most popular and historic park shelters is set to get an upgrade next summer.
The Pittsburgh Parks Conservancy is spearheading an effort to revitalize Riverview Park’s Valley Refuge Shelter and improve accessibility at the site.
The shelter is one of the most popular in the city, with permits issued 77 times last year. It was the tenth most heavily-used shelter out of all of Pittsburgh’s seasonal shelters last year, according to city data, and was used for picnics, parties, reunions and even yoga.
Revitalizing the aging site was a “major priority,” said Brandon Riley, director of community projects and engagement with the Pittsburgh Parks Conservancy.
The shelter was originally constructed in 1939 as part of the National Youth Association, which was an arm of the Works Progress Administration, a New Deal agency that employed millions of jobseekers to conduct public works projects.
One of the stones on the shelter is marked with the year and an indication it was a Works Progress Administration initiative, Riley said.
The conservancy’s work will include upgrades to the bathrooms to make them ADA-compliant, as well as upgrades to the lighting, plumbing and electrical systems, Riley said. A new drinking fountain will be installed to replace one that doesn’t work there now. Crews will repair the roof and historic masonry on and around the structure.
Some of the historic flagstone paving that has “fallen into disrepair” and made the site less accessible will also be fixed, he said.
The goal, Riley said is to give it “an overall repair and upgrade so that it can continue to be a joy for future generations.”
“What we’re really focusing on is improving accessibility, improving functionality and making sure we’re providing for the longevity of the structure,” he said.
A grant from the Pennsylvania Historical and Museum Commission will require the project shows “respect for the history” and meets standards for preserving historic materials, Riley said.
The open-air shelter is used predominantly in the warmer months, Riley said, though it appears at one point there had been sliding doors that could enclose the shelter. He believes those may have been installed during a renovation in the 1960s, but they’ve since been removed.
The project is currently in the design phase, Riley said, with construction expected to start early next spring. Work should be finished by mid-summer 2025.
The $240,000 project is funded, in part, by $130,000 from Pittsburgh’s parks tax.
The city allocated money from the controversial 0.5-mil tax — which the city started collecting in 2021 after voters narrowly approved it in a 2019 ballot referendum — to help the conservancy fund upgrades at Allegheny Commons Park and build a sensory-friendly classroom in Frick Park.
“It demonstrates we can do more, we can get a lot more work done, if we’re partnering on these things and sharing these costs,” Riley said.
Riley said the city also may provide labor from its construction division. Spokespeople for Mayor Ed Gainey did not immediately respond to requests for comment Friday.
Julia Burdelski is a TribLive reporter covering Pittsburgh City Hall and other news in and around Pittsburgh. A La Roche University graduate, she joined the Trib in 2020. She can be reached at jburdelski@triblive.com.
Pittsburg softball improved to 16-4 on the season by sweeping host Kansas City Piper 17-1 in five innings and 15-3 in six innings Saturday afternoon.
Breck Slaughter earned the win in both games. She allowed one run on two hits with 10 strikeouts and two walks over five innings during the opener. Then, she allowed one run on two hits with three strikeouts and two walks over three innings.
AnnaLynn Hudson pitched the last three innings of the day for the Purple Dragons.
Offensively, Pittsburg scored 17 runs on 20 hits during the opener and all nine Dragons reached the hit column. Kenleigh Warford led with four hits, Breck Slaughter and Micah Gomez each had three and Brecken Campbell, Brette Pasteur, Laney Trisler and Emily Shriver each had two. Slaughter, Trisler and Gomez each doubled twice and Pasteur and Shriver also recorded two-baggers. Brilee Mantooth homered. Gomez led the Dragons with four RBI, Campbell had three and Trisler, Mantooth and Shriver drove in two each.
The Dragons closed out their sweep with 15 runs on just 11 hits. Pasteur had a monster performance at the plate with four runs scored, three hits in three at-bats, two home runs and five RBI; she also worked a pair of walks and proved to be an utter pain for Piper pitchers Reagan Asbury and Harper Cordill.
Campbell also homered and finished with three hits for the Dragons. Slaughter and Shriver both finished with two hits and both seniors doubled.
Pittsburg won four games during the week and outscored Labette County, Independence and Piper by a combined 59-11. The Dragons return to Southeast Kansas League play on the road Monday against Independence; the Dragons beat the Bulldogs 14-1 in five innings last Thursday in Pittsburg.
The Dragons are looking to wrap up at least a share of the SEK League title.
Pittsburg 612 44 — 17 20 0
KC Piper 000 01 — 1 2 5
Breck Slaughter and Peyton Morey; Stella Utter and Ginny Garcia. W: Slaughter. L: Utter. 2B—PHS: Slaughter 2, Brette Pasteur, Emily Shriver, Laney Trisler 2, Micah Gomez 2; KCP: Faith Flournoy. HR—PHS: Brilee Mantooth.
——
Pittsburg 225 105 — 15 7 2
KC Piper 100 101 — 3 6 6
Breck Slaughter, AnnaLynn Hudson (4) and Peyton Morey; Reagan Asbury, Harper Cordill (5) and Faith Flournoy. W: Slaughter. L: Asbury. 2B—PHS: Slaughter. HR—PHs: Brecken Campbell, Brette Pasteur 2; KCP: Ginny Garcia.
This sports reporting is made possible, in part, by the Support Local Journalism Project Fund. Learn more at: southeastkansas.org/fund/support-local-journalism-project-fund/
Pittsburg, PA
Steelers insider just poured gasoline on the Aaron Rodgers fire following latest report of what he was doing in Pittsburgh
Aaron Rodgers was supposed to be in Pittsburgh over the weekend, with the thought that a deal would get done. One Steelers insider backs the report, but adds details that only compound a messy situation.
Charles LeClaire-Imagn Images
At this point, the events of the past two seasons between Aaron Rodgers and the Pittsburgh Steelers could probably be a book or movie. Everything from walks on the beach, to him throwing with DK Metcalf before signing, to someone capturing him driving a rental car into Pittsburgh has made waves.
This offseason was supposed to be different, and a decision from Rodgers was supposed to come much earlier. However, the Steelers remain in a holding pattern, and one that many believed would end over the weekend, after it was reported that Rodgers would be in town to sign a contract. Well, that seems to be true, but like much of this saga over the past two years, there seems to be a holdup.
Aaron Rodgers 2025 stats
- 3.4 TD to INT ratio.
- 3,322 passing yards.
- 65.7% completion percentage.
Aaron Rodgers visited Pittsburgh, but not the Steelers over the weekend
“Aaron Rodgers has been in town for a couple days, but the Steelers have not met with him yet and instead have been talking with his agent. Rodgers has stayed away from the team’s South Side facility while the three-day rookie minicamp has been going on.” – Gerry Dulac, Pittsburgh Post-Gazette
The news from Dulac comes on the heels of the report from 93.7 The Fan in Pittsburgh that Rodgers would be visiting the Steelers over the weekend, with the intention to sign his deal.
That report was backed up nationally by NFL Network insider Ian Rapoport, but some in Steelers media (Mark Kaboly) said that if Rodgers was going to be in town, that was news to the team.
Omar Khan said as much during a radio hit after the reports surfaced, saying that he didn’t know where Rodgers was, but that talks remained fluid. Of course, general managers, including Omar Khan, have been known to bend the truth, which seems to lie somewhere in the middle here.
The bottom line with Aaron Rodgers
It’s obvious to me that the Steelers and Rodgers are held up over money. I know that it was said to not be the case, but you don’t intentionally avoid meeting with a team and have your agent talk to them, just days after they use a tender that determines your 2026 salary, if you’re just going to sign.
I would be surprised if Rodgers doesn’t sign at this point, but it doesn’t change the monetary situation that needs to be worked out here.
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