Newsletter April 2025

An Anniversary to Celebrate!

Please join us as we celebrate the fifth anniversary of the creation of the Mellon Park Arboretum, Pittsburgh’s first public arboretum, on Saturday, April 26, from 11:00 a.m. to 2:00 p.m. Rick Sebak from WQED will emcee the outdoor family-friendly celebration.

The Western Pennsylvania Unit of the Herb Society of America, which created and maintains the Elizabethan Herb Garden in Mellon Park’s Terraced Garden, will be this year’s honoree. A proclamation from Pittsburgh City Council will be read and a tree will be planted in recognition of the group’s 45 years of dedication to educating the public and providing the community with a unique horticultural treasure.

Dozens of community organizations will be on the south side of the park, offering art and nature activities for children, scavenger hunts, nature-based games, and seeds for planting. Quack A Doodle Doo, a mobile petting zoo, will join us, as will a raptor from the Audubon Society of Western Pennsylvania. Playnotes will offer a special interactive music program just for kids. Everyone can learn about safety from McGruff the Crime Dog, a fire truck and firefighters, and police officers with a police car and motorcycle. Tree Pittsburgh will host a tree adoption table, with trees available at no cost on a first come, first served basis. For older kids and adults there are tree walks, and Phipps master gardeners will answer planting and gardening questions. Picnics are encouraged, and there will also be a food truck, a 12-foot-tall espresso/coffee truck, and a donut stand.Lighting and Pathways Project

In November, the Pittsburgh Parks Conservancy issued an RFP for Design Services for Pathways, Lighting, and Entrance Improvements on the north side of Mellon Park. This project was allocated funds from the Parks Tax in 2024, and the Pittsburgh Parks Conservancy is currently raising matching funds to move the project forward.

Park Improvements Update

Plans are underway for new pathways, lighting, and landscaping on the north side of Mellon Park. The Pittsburgh Parks Conservancy has engaged civil engineers from Cosmos Technologies, electrical engineers from CJL Engineers, and landscape architects from UpStudio Landscapes to provide Design Services and Construction Administration for the Mellon Park Pathways, Lighting, and Entrances Improvement Project. Design development, including the permitting and approvals processes, will continue through the end of 2025, with construction anticipated to start in mid-2026. A Development Activities Meeting will take place in summer 2025 to solicit community feedback on the design (date TBD). Project updates will be available via the Pathways, Lighting and Entrance Project tab on the Mellon Park Action Plan page on EngagePGH at https://engage.pittsburghpa.gov/mellon-park-action-plan.

Mellon Park Has Stories to Tell

Are you a social media influencer on Facebook, Instagram, or TikTok? Or maybe you just like posting pictures of your cute puppy? We need your help to get the word out about how amazing Mellon Park is. If you snap a great photo of the trees, the flowers, your kids cooling off at the spray park, or anything else you love about Mellon Park, please share it to your favorite social media site and tag us - @FriendsofMellonPark. You can also follow us on Instagram and Facebook to stay up to date about what we’re doing or what’s happening in the park. See you online!

Have You Noticed?

We have new trees! Two new American hornbeams (Carpinus caroliniana) are enjoying their first spring on the north side of Mellon Park. While it may seem like the park has a lot of trees, we’ve lost quite a few over the last couple of years and will work to encourage plantings in the future. The hornbeams were donated through the Pittsburgh Parks Conservancy’s commemorative tree program, and there are other options for donating trees to Mellon Park. If you’re interested, please contact us at info@friendsofmellonpark.org.

Become a Friend of Mellon Park

Friends of Mellon Park is a 100% volunteer-run organization. We are able to help care for the park because of your support. You can become a Friend of Mellon Park.

Please join us and donate today.