Friends of Hartwood

The Allegheny County Summer Concert Series begins this Sunday June 2nd!

Pittsburgh Opera The Pittsburgh Opera's performance at Hartwood Acres Amphitheater is part of the Summer Concert Series!

The mansion gardens are coming alive. Right now, Peonies, Blue Star, Alium, and more are blooming in the formal garden as well as in the beds around the mansion. Time to get up there and see them!

This Saturday! Do your anti-rain dance!

https://www.alleghenycounty.us/Parks-and-Events/Special-Events/Car-Cruises

Drive-in Movie at the Parks: ‘Moana’ at Hartwood Acres

Load the family into the car for a drive-in night at Hartwood Acres. There will be a showing of Disney’s “Moana” beginning at sunset on Saturday night.

Parking is available starting at 7 p.m. Attendees are encouraged to bring their own food and drinks to the event. Closed captioning for the film is available upon request.

The screening takes place at the Hartwood Acres Amphitheater. For more information and a schedule of Drive-In Movie at the Parks events, visit alleghenycounty.us.

The summer concert series is announced! :

www.alleghenycounty.us

Hartwood's Dog Park ranked #2 in this national survey!

Shirlington dog park makes the grade in national ranking County facility ranks #7 nationally for amenities, ambiance

Park for small dogs coming to off-leash area at Hartwood Acres A daily walk through Hartwood Acres was Allison Burgan’s therapy during covid — for herself and her doodle puppy, Scruffy.

Don't miss the Solar Eclipse on Monday, April 8, 2024! ☀

Join the Park Rangers in viewing this rare phenomenon. Viewing stations will be staged at Boyce Park, Hartwood Acres Park, North Park, and South Park from 2:00 pm to 4:00 pm.

This is a stationary program appropriate for all ages and ability levels. A limited number of eclipse viewing glasses will be available on a first-come, first-serve basis. No pre-registration is needed.

Learn more about Solar Eclipse with the Park Rangers: https://bit.ly/49ft5OF

Remember to not look at the sun or the solar eclipse without proper eye protection. Please review the NASA Eclipse Viewing Safety: https://science.nasa.gov/eclipses/safety

Don’t forget the Eclipse Event this coming Monday!!! We will have some glasses available. Come join us to watch and learn together!!

Allegheny Parks - Online Services

Happy Earth Month! 🌎 You can help us reach our goal of raising $30,000 in honor of Earth Month by donating today. Thanks to generous Parks Foundation supporters Karen and Shawn Hanlon, your donation will be matched this month, DOUBLING your impact. The Allegheny County Parks Foundation works year-round to protect your parks and in return, protect your planet so that they remain places of wonder and magic for the people who visit them. Join us in this critical work by supporting our mission to improve, conserve and restore these natural spaces that add so much value to your planet. Visit the link to give today: https://acparksfoundation.salsalabs.org/earthday2024

Last fall, Friends of Hartwood provided a $10,000 grant for improvements to the Blue trail. Trail Pittsburgh's designated Trail Steward for Hartwood Acres - Corey Seymour- coordinated with a contractor to improve an area that had become extremely eroded and deteriorated. The following pictures show the area before and after the work, which consisted of grading the area, adding fill to raise the path above the mud puddles, and putting a bridge across the creek to prevent erosion of the stream bank and to make the crossing easier for walkers and pets (to the disappointment of some mud-loving trail bikers no doubt😏!) Unfortunately, due to heavy recent rains, this area is currently pretty muddy again, but as we get into Spring it is expected it to dry out and the trail should be much improved.

The magnolia tree at the mansion was in full bloom for St Patrick's Day!

Please remember we all share the Park!! Try and be cognizant of what’s around you if you’re using earphones…there could be a horse behind you!

Junior Ranger Program

HA - Junior Ranger: Meadows with the Park Rangers For event details, please refer to: https://www.active.com/pittsburgh-pa/classes/ha-junior-ranger-meadows-with-the-park-rangers-2024

ECLIPSE EVENT!

Allegheny Parks - Online Services

https://www.alleghenycounty.us/Parks-and-Events/Park-Jobs/Seasonal-Ranger-Positions

Seasonal Ranger Positions The Allegheny County Park Rangers are the ambassadors of our parks and the catalyst for stewardship among park visitors.

Parents - save the date!

/events/ Find the latest upcoming events in Western Pennsylvania. Purchase tickets for live music, nightlife, kids and family, local festivals, sports, and arts events.

For those with an interest in what Friends of Hartwood is all about, and what is happening at the park, here is a copy of the minutes from our most recent meeting:

Friends of Hartwood
Meeting Minutes
February 26,2024

Members Present: Allison Burgan, Joe Downing, Amy Giammattei, Laura Perkosky, Gail Scott, Tim Jaczesko, Tim Enright, Patti Benaglio and Jaime Filipek.

Call to order was made at 7:00 pm by Allison Burgan.
Allison Burgan made a motion to approve September 18th meeting minutes, seconded by Amy Giammattei and was approved.
Financial reports were submitted to the group including a breakdown of Hartwood Fest Income and expenses.
Patti Benaglio reported the Mansion had their first Tea on Valentines Day and it was a complete success, selling out very quickly. Upcoming Teas will be; March-Downton Abbey, April-Literacy theme which will be Anne of Green Gables, May- Mothers Day will be The Gilded Age, and June will feature a wedding theme in honor Of Mary and John Lawrence’s 90th Wedding Anniversary.
Tim Jaczesko announced he has been promoted to North Regional Superintendent, and Tim Enright will replace him as Supervisor of Hartwood Acres. Tim J. announced that the Meadow will be reseeded for wild flowers again, the Blue Trail has become muddy again and we need to find some way to fix this. There will be 74 Weddings this year. Work is starting on the burnt Stable Masters house. Tim J. shared the preliminary plans for the new small dog park with the group which will hopefully be installed this summer. Tim J. also shared that the Maintenance Building Construction is underway ahead of schedule, it should be about a 14 month project. The construction will disrupt Handicap parking and traffic flow thru the park. The area is torn up currently due to sewer lines and a fire hydrant being installed. Tim E. shared that speed bumps will be set up on the road to slow down traffic, too many people are flying through the park. Tim E. also shared that the Public Works Department will be looking for Summer Help this year, hopefully 2 teenagers to help with w**d whacking and mowing.
Allison Burgan opened the discussion of the future of FOH citing the purpose of the group per the County Ordinance. The Ordinance states the purpose of the group is to be a liaison between the public users of the Park and the County; engaging the Public by inviting them to our meetings and developing volunteer projects through the Park Rangers such as Invasive Vine cutting, or w**ding, or tree planting.
Allison also pointed out the Ordinance calls for 12 members to sit on the Friends Council, we are currently at 7. She also mentioned that the Ordinance calls for a minimum of two officers, a Chair and Vice Chair. Allison asked the group to consider having the Chair take on the Secretary duties and the Vice Chair taking on Treasury duties as we move forward into June Elections.
Allison also shared with the group Hartwood Restaurant will not be participating in Hartwood Fest any longer. After discussion the group felt that Hartwood Fest has run its course and that we would not be holding the event this year. A discussion on potential fundraisers ensued, especially the concerts and we felt we weren’t happy with the Stables as a venue. Tim J. suggested the meadow and the group took that under advisement.
As for projects, Allison Burgan suggested that instead of meeting quarterly, meet every other month. In the Months we don’t meet, have a volunteer project. We will begin exploring possibilities; Amy agreed to talk to Corey from Trail Pittsburgh and Allison agreed to talk to the Horticulturist as well as the Park Rangers.
The group then went over potential new members, and Allison agreed to sending out invitations to potential members to forward to County Council for approval.
The group also felt that it is necessary to spend the money we have amassed over the years. Allison offered to reach out to Andy Baechle to help cover the cost of the new small dog park. Laura mentioned buying one of the benches for the new park. Patti mentioned the printer the Mansion loves needs a new transfer cartridge; Amy Giammattei made a motion to buy the transfer cartridge for the Mansion, seconded by Joe Downing and approved. Patti also stated the potential grant for the piano fell by the wayside. Jaimie and Allison both would reach out to potential grant leads to help fund the repair of the Steinway Piano.
A motion to adjourn was made by Allison Burgan at 8:15 pm.

Respectfully Submitted by,
Allison Burgan
________________________________
Calendar of Meetings
Friends of Hartwood
2024
March – potential volunteer project
April 29th FOH Meeting
May – Potential volunteer project
June 24th – FOH Meeting
July – Potential Volunteer Project
August 26th – FOH Meeting
September – Potential volunteer project
October 28th – FOH Meeting
November - Potential volunteer project
December – January – No meetings
February 2025 meeting to be set.

The Friends of Hartwood are SO pleased to announce that the small dog park is coming to fruition this summer!!! The current dog park will have new water lines and fountains, trees and benches, new gates, water mitigation to prevent all the water that steeps into the enclosure. The small dog park for small dogs and puppies will be fenced off from the large dogs with a seperate entrance .in this picture the red line is the new fence for the small dog park!!!

Recycle your Christmas tree at Hartwood Acres

Have a real Christmas tree? Allegheny County parks and the City of Pittsburgh will take them for recycling Have a real Christmas tree? When festivities eventually end, you can consider recycling it in Allegheny County parks and various locations in the City...

Hartwood Restaurant & Whispers Pub has been a long-time supporter of our Hartwood Fest!

🎁 Treat that special someone to the gift of an unforgettable experience at Hartwood. Our gift cards are the perfect gift for the foodie in your life! Don't forget to ask your server.

https://acparksfoundation.org/coming-face-to-face-with-abstraction-at-hartwood-acres/?fbclid=IwAR2MatQjgIKl0P2j0ybQ8fosFkO30wLMQHvmJVlBvDvFe5opX4xdkJU56iU

Coming Face-to-Face with Abstraction at Hartwood Acres - Allegheny County Parks Foundation Dec 01 Coming Face-to-Face with Abstraction at Hartwood Acres Posted at 08:15h in In the News by Jaime Filipek This guest blog post was written by University of Pittsburgh History of Art and Architecture student, Layne Shaffer. When you walk through the lush landscape of Hartwood Acres, you would ha...

Holiday Mansion Tours
Embrace the elegance this holiday season at the Hartwood Acres Mansion! This wintry walkthrough will highlight the house's deep history and amazing architecture, featuring holiday embellishments.

Candlelight tours also available!

Sign Up:

Allegheny Parks - Online Services

From the Tribune-Review online dated October 15 2023

Thank you for purchasing a ticket to Hartwood Fest! It looks like rain, but you will be seated under cover. We will try as hard as possible to keep everyone dry and comfortable during the event. Make sure you bring an umbrella for trips to the mobile restroom and to/from your car, and appropriate footwear.

PLEASE NOTE: the parking area near the stables has been reworked and there are less spaces than in the past. We will do our best to accommodate everyone, but once these spaces are filled, county workers will route cars to the new sculpture garden parking area. We apologize for the inconvenience. Extra lighting will be in place to try and provide as safe a walk as possible.

See you Saturday night!