Paddle Without Pollution: Nominated for Canoe & Kayak Magazine’s ‘Paddle With Purpose’ award

Local non-profit (and I heart PGH favorite!) Paddle Without Pollution is up for an award celebrating the best philanthropic effort involving paddlesports. You can vote for the best “Paddle With Purpose” contender, plus those in other categories, until this Sunday, June 30, by visiting the Canoe & Kayak Magazine awards page.

The group was nominated by their fellow paddlers and peers and winners are honored at the annual ceremony, held this year on August 1 in Salt Lake City, Utah.

Paddle Without Pollution gets canoeists, kayakers, and paddle boarders together to clean the rivers, streams, wetlands, and lakes of Pennsylvania. In 2012, they removed 15.3 TONS of litter from waterways during 13 cleanup events.

They also provide a watershed/paddling education program for inner city youth that teaches paddling skills, ecology, and proper nutrition, as well as other pollution prevention and education programs.

View their upcoming cleanup schedule and register to help clean up local watersheds! And don’t worry if you don’t have your own kayak or canoe, a few are available to borrow from their own fleet for those who sign up early enough. You can also donate money to their cause on their website, via PayPal.

Stay up-to-date on upcoming events and see photos from past ones, plus other news and happenings, by liking their Facebook page.

Click here to vote!

Guide to Pittsburgh public pools: hours, cost, locations, rules

UPDATE 6/2019 – Please visit Very Local Pittsburgh for an updated pool guide for 2019.

Image courtesy of Citiparks.

Image courtesy of Citiparks.

All 18 Pittsburgh city pools are officially open for the summer, until September 2! Check the Citiparks website to make sure your local pool is open for the day.

While none of the locations provide refreshments, guests are welcome to bring their own food and drinks (no alcohol).

Don’t forget to check out the water carnivals, hosted by a different pool every few days in July. Basically an open pool party for the neighborhood, the carnivals feature unique themes, fun games, raffle prizes, and free food and drinks (normal admission prices apply).

Hours

Mondays – Fridays, 1:00- 7:45 p.m
Saturdays, Sundays & Holidays, 1:00- 5:45 p.m.

Adult Lap Swim:
For individuals 16 years old and older.

Mondays – Fridays, 5-6 p.m.
Every pool

Mondays – Fridays, Noon – 1 p.m.
Highland, Moore, Schenley and Sue Murray

Saturdays – Sundays, Noon – 1 p.m.
Bloomfield, Highland, Jack Stack, Magee, Moore, Ormsby, Phillips, Ream, Riverview, Schenley, Sue Murray, West Penn and Westwood

Family swim:
Any individual under 16 years old must be accompanied by an adult 18 years old or older.

Monday- Friday 5pm-close
Every pool

Cost
Payable by cash, check, or money order only.

Year-long pool passes
Year-long (June-June) pool passes can be purchased at outdoor pools (except Ammon) during operating hours, or at the Citiparks Office on the fourth floor of the City-County building (414 Grant Street, Downtown Pittsburgh).

City of Pittsburgh residents (proof required)

  • Family of four: $60; each additional family member: $10
  • Adult (16 years old and older): $30
  • Youth (3-15 years old): $15
  • Kids (2 and under): free

Free pool tags are available for City residents who are disabled veterans, plus families of active duty military and activated reservist/guard members. Proper ID is required.

City of Pittsburgh residents who receive welfare benefits can buy tags at a 50% discount. A case print-out and proof of identity are required to receive the discount.

Non-City of Pittsburgh residents

  • Adult or youth: $45

Daily pool pass

  • Adult (16 years old and older): $4
  • Youth (3-15 years old): $3

Locations

 [cetsEmbedGmap src=https://maps.google.com/maps/ms?msid=203916488985198549708.0004892c3ba6bd1ec9f3a&msa=0&ll=40.443289,-79.962959&spn=0.128813,0.308647 width=500 height=425 marginwidth=0 marginheight=0 frameborder=0 scrolling=no]

East/Central

Ammon (Hill District)
2217 Bedford Avenue
Pittsburgh, PA 15219
412-255-2627

One of the biggest pools in Pittsburgh, they get a lot of camps during the day but quiet down after about 4pm.
Water carnival: July 23

Bloomfield
408 Ella Street
Pittsburgh, PA 15224
412-622-6956

Water carnival: July 9

Highland Park -good for families -one of biggest
151 Lake Drive
Pittsburgh, PA 15206
412-665-3637

With a kiddie pool and a mushroom spray fountain, plus handicap accesible features, this pool is great for families. It’s also one of the biggest and busiest in Pittsburgh and has sand volleyball courts
Water carnival: July 13

Homewood
540 N. Lang Avenue
Pittsburgh, PA 15208
412-244-4186

Another pool that gets a good amount of camps during the day but is very quiet in the evenings.
Water carnival: July 2

Magee (Greenfield)
745 Greenfield Avenue
Pittsburgh, PA 15217
412-422-4265

Known for having one of the best swim teams in the program, this pool next to the recreation center gets decent crowds.
Water carnival: July 9

Schenley Park
1 Overlook Drive
Pittsburgh, PA 15213
412-422-4266

One of busiest, this pool is favored by the college-aged and young adult crowd, with not a lot of kids swimming here. It is a walk-in pool though, which is great for kids and new/apprehensive swimmers.
Water carnival: July 13

West Penn (Polish Hill)
450 30th Street
Pittsburgh, PA 15219
412-622-6908

Water carnival: July 20

North

Jack Stack (Brighton Heights)
600 Brighton Woods Road
Pittsburgh, PA 15212
412-766-4577

This newer walk-in pool (great for kids and different swim levels) also has a smaller kiddie pool.
Water carnival: July 4

Riverview (Perry North)
400 Riverview Avenue
Pittsburgh, PA 15214
412-323-7223

Water carnival: August 6

Sue Murray (North Side)
301 Cedar Avenue
Pittsburgh, PA 15212
412-323-7914

Although it gets busy with camps during the day, this walk-in pool with slides is much more quiet in the evenings. It’s also handicap accessible with a lift chair.
Water carnival: July 6

South/West

Banksville
1461 Crane Avenue
Pittsburgh, PA 15220
412-571-3231

A great (yet quiet) pool for families, this facility has a kiddie pool and fountain, baseball fields, playgrounds, an attached pavilion available for rent, and a brand new deck hockey rink sponsored by the Penguins.
Water carnival: July 11

McBride (Lincoln Place) – good for families
1785 McBride Street
Pittsburgh, PA 15207
412-476-1311

This pool is handicap accessible.
Water carnival: July 23

Moore (Brookline)
1801 Pioneer Avenue
Pittsburgh, PA 15226
412-571-3223

A big, popular walk-in pool, there’s slides onsite and a large shallow area that’s good for kids.
Water carnival: July 16

Ormsby (South Side)
79 S. 22nd Street
Pittsburgh, PA 15203
412-488-8377

This pool gets crowded with a wide variety of people, from teens to families to random passersby, and is right on the busline.
Water carnival: July 27

Phillips (Carrick) -good for families
201 Parkfield Street
Pittsburgh, PA 15210
412-885-7498

This quiet, mostly neighborhood pool has a spray pad for kids not quite ready for the actual pools, making it great for families with young kids. There’s also an attached rec center.
Water carnival: July 6

Ream (Mt. Washington)
321 Merrimac Street
Pittsburgh, PA 15211
412-488-8312

Right on the busline, this pool has a lot of programs and a playground.
Water carnival: July 20

Sheraden
1071 Adon Street
Pittsburgh, PA 15204
412-777-5011

Water carnival: July 25

Westwood
100 Guyland Street
Pittsburgh, PA 15205
412-937-3061

Water carnival: July 16

Rules

The pool promotes a family-friendly environment at all times.

  • Pool tags must be worn at all times.
  • Swim suits are required for the pool and deck area.
  • Patrons must shower before entering the pool.
  • No running, dunking, horseplay or profanity.
  • No diving on the shallow side of safety line.
  • Smoking is prohibited inside the facility, including e-cigarettes.
  • Food and drink are permitted only in designated area.
  • Swimmers under six years of age must be accompanied by an adult 16 years or older.
  • The Head Lifeguard must approve all flotation devices. Inflatable flotation devices are prohibited.
  • Lounge chairs & strollers must be kept at a minimum distance of ten feet from poolside.
  • Patrons with medical conditions should inform the Lifeguards.
  • Citiparks is not responsible for lost, stolen or damaged property.
  • Complaints – see the Head Lifeguard for procedures.
  • Lifeguards are responsible for your safety, so please follow the rules.
  • Violations of above rules may result in disciplinary action up to and including loss of pool privileges.

Click the links for more information about the four spray parks the city operates, swim lessons, and other swimming programs.

Got information to add? Dying to know an answer to a question about the pools? Facebook us, send us a tweet, or leave a comment below. You can contact the city pools directly here: http://pittsburghpa.gov/city-info/swimming-pools.html

The Beginner’s Guide to Port Authority: Using the Bus

Whether you are someone who just moved to the ‘Burgh, a first year student at one of the city’s colleges or universities, just visiting for a day, or your car broke down and the bus is your last resort, here are a couple of things to know to handle your Port Authority of Allegheny County experience like a pro.

The Bus Stop and Boarding

A typical bus stop sign in Allegheny County.

A typical bus stop sign in Allegheny County. (Photo credit: Wikipedia)

To makes sure you are at the right stop, each stop can be identified by the blue sign that says “Bus Stop”. Under most of these signs, there is a list of the bus routes that  belong to that stop. Wait for the bus to come to a complete stop and let all of the passengers that are exiting off first. Need to know what bus to take? Use Port Authority’s Trip Planner to find buses and times.

Cost

One way fare within Zone-One is $2.50 and Zone-Two is $3.75. Need a transfer? Just let the bus driver know before you pay, it’s only a dollar more. Make sure you have exact change, too. The bus drivers and fare-boxes do not give change. If you are paying with bills, check that they are as flat as possible. A crumpled dollar bill can jam the fare box and also makes for a grumpy bus driver.

Don’t forget, service within Pittsburgh’s Gold Triangle (Downtown Business District and the Cultural District) is free!

When to Pay

Knowing when to pay your fare is important, too! Before 7 p.m., if you are getting on a bus headed outbound, pay when getting off the bus. If you are on a bus headed in-bound, pay when getting on. After 7 p.m., always pay when boarding.

While Riding

Once you board, find yourself a seat. For some, sitting by a stranger can feel awkward, but that is part of the fun of public transit! Don’t be a seat hog either. If you have an open seat beside you, move closest to the window and make sure you do not place your belongings there so someone else can sit down. When there are no open seats, go as far back as you can on the bus and hold on to a rail. During busy hours, chances are you will be smushed with fellow passengers.

Most times at the front of the bus, an illuminated signed will read the stops as they are being approached (some older buses do not have these unfortunately). When you see your stop approaching, pull the yellow cord to signal your stop.

Exiting

After you have signaled your stop, wait for the bus to come to a complete stop. Pay your fare if the bus is headed outbound before 7 p.m. Finally, don’t forget to thank the bus driver!

 

Steel of the Week: Yinzer Bingo

This week’s featured Steel of the Week is Yinzer Bingo by John the Craftist. Seen at Boutique 208, you are sure to get a kick out of this unique bingo card if you are from the Pittsburgh area. All the spaces on the card are relevant to the area, such as “Road Work”, “Pothole”, “Terrible Towel”, “Big Ben Jersey”, with some of the more culturally unique ones being ”Pgh Left”, “Jean Shorts”, “Confusing Intersection”, “80s Bangs”, and “Jagoff”. John the Craftist’s products mostly consist of PGH-centric/Pittsburghese greeting cards, along with magnets, keychains, buttons, gift tags, and other small paper craft items. Zodiac birthday cards are also available. All the products are handprinted, handcut, and hand-folded by John the Craftist, who is actually Thea Okonak of Aspinwall.Yinzer Bingo

 

Along with Boutique 208, John’s stockists include The Mattress Factory Museum, The Shop at Pittsburgh Center for the Arts, Wildcard in Lawrenceville, Koolkat Designs in Mt. Lebanon, and Nota Bene in Aspinwall. John also vends at he I Made It! Market events, and this past year sold with Koolkat Designs at the Three Rivers Arts Festival and with Steeltown Etsy at Handmade Arcade.

You can get a first look at new cards by checking out the Facebook page, http://facebook.com/johnthecraftist. This is where you can also find out the next vending location and interact to give feedback or stories about the products you’ve enjoyed!


Have an item you would like featured as our Steel of the Week? Submit to sotw@iheartpgh.com!

WhatShouldIEatInstead.com Needs Your Help 5-7pm Today (Tue. 6/5)

what-should-i-eat-appleWhatShouldIEatInstead.com allows users to get instant answers about health and nutrition from a registered dietitian, over text. The new service is being tested tonight over dinner, from 5-7pm.  The service is free and users phone numbers are kept safe. To start using the service, users simply text “hello” to (443) 333-9538. 

A $100 StartUp Project

Last week, Dave Mawhinney, Managing Director of CMU’s Open Field Entrepreneurs Fund, issued a challenge to two Pittsburgh entrepreneurs: build a new business in a week, for $100 or less. Mawhinney gave Adam Nelson and James Lomuscio, $100 in cash to complete the challenge.  The result WhatShouldIEatInstead.com, a web service that connects people to nutrition counselors to get instant answers to diet questions, and find healthy substitutes when the craving for junk food strikes.