ReClaim South Sustaining Momentum Program

Program Area: Ambassador Project, ReClaim

Topic: Community Engagement, Vacant Land

Year: 2015, 2016, Current

Neighborhood: Allentown, Arlington, Arlington Heights, Beltzhoover, Bon Air, Knoxville, Mount Oliver, Mount Washington, South, South Side Slopes

Parent Project: ReClaim South

Project Updates

Five site work days completed! We have hit the ground running this spring and there are plenty of volunteer opportunities! Check out our events calendar for more information and how you can get involved!

ReClaim South: Sustaining Momentum kicked-off in late October 2015, starting with more Ambassador educational courses and workshops in preparation for spring workdays! Since then, Ambassadors have participated in more than 200 hours of training and education for the advancement and expansion of their projects. This spring, we have engaged dozens of volunteers who have contributed more than 150 hours of volunteer time for Hilltop Ambassador Projects.

Keep a look out for the update Ambassador bios and project pages!

Interested in learning the origin stories of these projects? Check out the 2013-2014 ReClaim South Program.

News/Press Coverage

Local Group Reclaims Vacant Land Through Micro-Grants and Education

90.5 WESA | July 2014

GTECH is giving a warm welcome back to ReClaim South Ambassadors

Through the next year, GTECH and some of the original ReClaim South Ambassadors will be leading a follow up initiative to engage more community members and put their original vacant lot projects to good use. Throughout the fall and winter, we will be conducting more educational sessions and learning from community development professionals to further improve the ReClaim South projects. Keep a look out for fun events on these lots next summer!

Overview

The 2012 Green Toolbox Report conducted for Hilltop communities identified over 400 acres of vacant land in those neighborhoods, including two former public housing sites. The Ambassador program is one way that GTECH and the Hilltop Alliance is addressing this opportunity. Ten residents have participated in a vacant land focused training program to create their own green project on vacant land.

Research shows a greener environment has a positive impact on the perception of a place as a good location to live, work or shop. The investment in these green projects can prompt new investments and lead to new development opportunities in the empty storefronts of Pittsburgh south neighborhoods.

Because these spaces are dreamt up by a neighborhood resident, voluntarily built by neighbors and supported by the local community organizations, the hope is that these projects will be maintained for years to come and spark more community-based actions.