Westinghouse Park Selected as One of 19 Nature Everywhere Communities
The City of Pittsburgh, in partnership with the Outdoor Inclusion Coalition, Westinghouse Academy, Homewood Children’s Village, and Operation Better Block, has been selected as one of 19 U.S. Nature Everywhere Communities by The Children & Nature Network, the National League of Cities, and KABOOM!.
About
The Nature Everywhere Initiative aims to increase equitable access to a healthy, natural world by working to reduce disparities in housing, employment, food, health, and education. Nature Everywhere Communities will receive two years of strategic planning, technical support, and start-up funding to develop and implement community-driven plans for connecting children and families to nature-based experiences and learning.
The City will focus its funding on developing Westinghouse Park through a community process that elevates community safety, youth leadership, and school partnerships. They are looking to prioritize equitable access to nature for Black youth in East Pittsburgh by engaging the community, particularly Black youth, in the design of local parks. With a current focus on Westinghouse Park, the team plans to target its efforts in creating new models that engage local communities and youth in park development, using the existing park development tax.
As a first step, the East End Pittsburgh team joined eight other communities for a Nature Everywhere Vision Lab in Austin, Texas in November 2023, to explore proven nature connection strategies and connect with technical assistance experts from the Children & Nature Network, the National League of Cities, and KABOOM!. Over the next two years, the Pittsburgh team will:
Engage youth and community residents in creating visions for equitable access to nature
Map community stakeholders, assets, and gaps
Conduct funding and policy scans
Identify the best nature connection strategies for the Pittsburgh community
Build and deepen regional partnerships
Develop and begin implementing an outdoor inclusion and access plan
Throughout the process, East End Pittsburgh and other Nature Everywhere community teams will have access to a national peer learning network; technical assistance; case-making research; resources, case studies, and planning tools; seed grants of up to $50,000; and eventually, access to larger catalytic grants for implementation. Nature Everywhere partners (Children & Nature Network, National League of Cities, and KABOOM!) will also help communities track outcomes and communicate the impact of their work both locally and nationally.
For more details, read a press release issued by the City of Pittsburgh.
