►
Description
On this episode of CityTalk, John interviews Susan Lucas from the Department of Parks & Recreation and Josiah Gilliam from Mayor Peduto's office.
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B
It
has,
it
has
been
rough
on
them
and
our
staff,
our
senior
staff,
has
been
doing
a
great
job.
They
distribute
lunches
three
days
a
week
and
they
have
been
doing
that
since
the
pandemic
began
and
quarantined
began
as
well
as
they
make
phone
calls.
They
have
a
list
each
week
and
they're
reaching
out
just
to
check
in
with
folks
make
sure
everybody's
doing.
Okay,
say
hello,
letting
them
know
we're
thinking
about
everybody,
even
though
we
can't
see
them.
A
B
Everybody
wants
to
do
something
outdoors.
You've
got
to
figure
that
a
lot
of
people
were
working,
might
not
have
been
working
or
might
have
been
working
shorter
shifts,
just
because
things
changed
so
much
with
the
quarantine
and
the
there
was
a
limited
amount
of
spaces
that
could
be
rented
over
the
summer
too,
so
it
made
it
tough,
but
yeah
everybody
wanted
to
get
outside
baseball
teams,
softball
teams,
family
reunions,
birthday
parties.
It's
been
a
difficult
time
for
everyone.
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B
Allegheny
commons
is
the
oldest
park
in
the
city
emerald
view
park
is
the
newest
regional
park
and
that's
kind
of
combined
all
of
the
parks
in
the
mount
washington
allentown
area
into
one
regional
park
and
city
planning
is
currently
doing
working
on
the
master
plan
for
emerald
view
park
and
anybody
that
wants
to
provide
their
input.
They
have
sessions
to
sign
up
for
area
specific
sessions
to
sign
up
for,
and
it
looks
to
be
exciting
for
the
neighborhood
in
allentown
in
mount
washington
when.
B
I
think
it
will
be
probably
looking
yeah
an
overhaul
for
the
entire
park,
but
do
it
section
by
section,
because
the
parks
are
kind
of
split
up
and
connected
by
trails,
so
see
how
they
can
improve,
not
just
the
individual
locations
but
the
overall
presentation
of
the
park,
because
it
does
include
the
scenic
byway.
The
grand
view
avenue
scenic
byway,
which
is
recognized
nationally
as
a
an
outstanding
viewpoint
for
the
city
of
pittsburgh.
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Yeah
yeah,
unfortunately,
but
the
news
is
what
it
is.
So
it's
better
just
to
rip
that
band-aid
off
and
let
folks
know
up
front
hey
we're
trying
to
do
the
best
we
can
covered.
19
restrictions
have
left
us
in
just
about
as
much
trouble
as
others,
so
we're
getting
we're
we're
getting
there
everybody's
been
very
nice
to
the
quarantine.
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I'm
holding
up
fine
for
the
most
part
people
I
talk
to
seem
to
be
holding
up
fine.
I
think
it's
been
an
exercise
in
patience
for
everyone.
It's
just
a
complete
different
way
of
doing
things,
but
I
think
overall,
we've
all
done
a
good
job
in
trying
to
get
to
what
we
need
to
do
and
still
providing
for
those
folks
in
the
city.
So
I
think
the
city
of
pittsburgh
city
parks,
all
of
us,
that
work
hard
for
the
residents
have
done
a
really
good
job
in
changing
course
to
continue
to
engage
folks.
A
B
Well,
having
the
option
to
go
to
the
office
has
been
a
good
thing,
a
godsend.
If
you
will
in
the
marriage
department
we've
we've
managed
it's
it.
We've
had
our
struggles
and
there's
days
that,
because
he
works
from
home,
but
we're
doing
just
fine
and
we've
been
able
to
make
things
work
as
we've
needed
to
and
then
being
able
to
go
to
the
office
and
just
kind
of
get
away
from
the
everyday.
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Well,
this
summer,
early
spring
or
late
spring
early
summer,
one
of
the
park
rangers
in
riverview
farm
park
found
a
baby
owl
on
the
ground
with
reaching
out
to
the
game,
commission
and
some
research.
We
have
now
learned
that
owls
are
extremely
bad
nest
makers,
they're,
not
sturdy,
they're,
very
messiness,
so
that
happens
quite
often,
and
we
found
a
hollow
in
a
in
a
tree
and
we're
able
to
place
the
owl
in
there
and
kept
our
eye
on
it.
And
eventually
the
mama
came
back
and
got
it.
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B
I
really
would
I
love
this
city,
so
for
me
it's
become
such
a
natural
fit.
Not
only
do
I
love
the
city
now
I
get
to
work
for
a
city
and
a
job
that
I
love
and
with
people
who
are
like
my
family,
so
yeah
I
definitely
would
recommend
it.
It's
been
a
wonderful
experience
and
I'm
looking
forward
to
the
future
and
to
see
what
more
we
can
do.
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C
Hi,
my
name
is
lisa
epps-cuda
and
I
am
the
fire
inspector
fire
prevention
officer
for
the
city
of
pittsburgh,
and
I've
worked
for
the
pittsburgh
bjor
fire
for
25
years.
If
you're
looking
for
a
challenging
career
that
has
it
all
great
pay
and
benefits
community
engagement,
union
support
and
a
sense
of
pride
and
accomplishment,
I
suggest
you
consider
working
for
a
city
that
welcomes
diversity.
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D
It
has
six
goal
areas
which
are
different
impact
areas
where
there
are
specific
objectives
related
to
quality
of
life
for
folks
that
are
living
here.
I
worked
closely
with
folks
in
the
welcoming
pittsburgh
initiative
with
the
gender
equity
commission
different
folks
in
the
office
of
equity
in
different
city
departments,
and
we
really
try
to
take
a
collective
impact
approach
towards
resolving
the
issues
that
we
see
and
trying
to
build
the
kind
of
environment
and
and
seasons
where
folks
have
a
chance
to
thrive.
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D
Well,
as
it
relates
to
issues
you
know,
things
like
we
do
a
lot
of
efforts
related
to
violence,
prevention
and
intervention
work.
For
example,
this
work
happens
in
partnership
with
law
enforcement
here
locally,
but
is
is
really
being
spearheaded
by
a
public
health
approach
with
community
outreach
workers
and
different
non-profits
that
are
making
a
difference.
We
try
to
play
a
convening
role.
There
talk
about
best
practices,
evidence-based
models
that
work,
bring
resources
into
the
conversation,
but
there's
other
parts
of
the
initiative
about
opportunity.
D
So,
for
example,
there's
been
a
lot
of
study
around
literacy
rates
at
third
grade
being
an
inflection
point
for
folks's
for
an
individual's
capacity
and
likelihood
to
thrive
over
the
long
term.
So
we
work
with
organizations
that
have
literacy
programs
and
the
libraries
and
organizations
that
that
work
on
reading
and
writing
with
their
students
to
track
how
that's
going
and
to
encourage
that
activity.
So
those
are
two
examples.
We
do
a
lot
of
other
things:
digital
literacy,
mentorship
folks,
moving
through
high
school
to
college
support's
there.
But
usually
it's
not.
D
D
Yeah,
I
think
of
myself
as
a
connector,
I
built
a
website
actually
called
truciotrusio.com,
which
maps
the
nonprofits
that
are
part
of
the
network
because
I
think
very
visually.
It
helps
me
to
see
it.
So
it's
like
okay,
these
are
folks
working
this
goal
area.
Oh
here's
where
they
are
in
the
city;
here's
what
they
do.
Here's,
how
you
contact
them
stuff
like
that,
there's
a
huge
you,
as
you
know,
a
huge
nonprofit
sector
here
in
pittsburgh
and
in
the
region.
D
D
Yeah
so
we
started
a
show
called
called
our
neighbors
keeper.
You
know
my
brother's
keeper
starts
with
this
focus
on
black
men
and
boys,
but
reality
isn't
that
simple
and
the
organizations
that
we
work
with
serve.
You
know
anyone
that
they
can
usually
so.
But
given
that
there's
this
there
is
this
initial
equity
lens.
So
we
figured
what
if
we
just
started
a
show
to
kind
of
explore
these
different
realms
from
the
through
the
people
that
know
it
best.
So
it's
just
free-flowing
conversations.
It's
like
a
podcast!
D
We
talk
about
the
coveted
realities,
things
that
have
been
so
impacted
by
the
pandemic,
but
how
they're
still
moving
forward
in
some
cases,
what
the
pivots
have
been
and
things
like
that?
It's
been
a
lot
of
fun.
It
gives
folks
a
chance
to
learn,
I
think,
about
folks
that
they
might
not
have
a
chance
to
to
really
sit
down
with
for
an
hour
otherwise.
So
it's
been
a
good
bit
of
fun.
D
I
did
it
wasn't
in
the
job
description
now.
Where
are
you
from
originally
well?
I
was
born
in
mercy
hospital
and
my
family
at
the
at
the
at
that
time
lived
in
coverdale,
which
is
a
part
of
bethel
park,
and
then
I
moved
around
boomerang
in
and
out
a
whole
bunch
growing
up.
I
lived
in
denver
colorado.
I
lived
in
mobile
alabama,
lived
in
phoenix
arizona
all
over
the
place.
I
finished
high
school
moon
went
to
penn
state
and
I've
been
working
in
the
city
since
2012.
A
D
A
D
Yeah,
so
I
don't
keep
a
car
in
the
city
I
use.
I
have
a
bus
pass
and
I
bike
that's
how
I
would
get
around
the
community
meetings
and
things
along
those
lines:
the
occasional
uber
and
lyft,
and
things
like
that.
But
since
cobin,
especially
during
like
the
first
lockdown,
there
was
just
no
one
on
the
streets.
So
me
and
a
couple
buddies
on
saturday.
Sunday
mornings
would
just
go
out
and
explore
and
see
what
neighborhoods
we
could
get
to
and
what
hills
we
could
climb.
And
it's
been.
It's
been
really
great.
D
D
So
they
needed
to
do
more
community
outreach
that
needed
to
figure
out
different
ways
to
fund
the
program
and
and
to
reduce
costs
and
and
and
find
different
sources
of
food
and
stuff,
and
so
that
role
that
I
had
turned
into
a
full-time
outreach
job
and-
and
I
kind
of
just
never
never
looked
back.
I
started
realizing
that
okay,
there
are,
there
are
these
foundations
and
they
work
with
the
city
and
there's
there's
all
these.
D
There's
all
these
circles
that
play
like
these
venn
diagrams
of
like
folks
that
are
involved-
and
I
didn't
know
that
there
was
a
really
high
percentage
of
seniors
in
the
region
compared
to
other
places
in
the
nation
and
so
senior
services
is
like
a
really
interesting
laboratory,
what's
possible
here
in
western
pennsylvania,
and
yet
there
are
these
struggles
and
challenges,
and
I
just
really
loved
it.
You
know
political
science
degree,
I
learned
a
lot,
but
it
was
it
was
esoteric.
You
know
you
learn
about.
D
D
Because
I
didn't
I
hadn't
come
across
too
many
of
them
in
my
meals
on
wheels
days
and
of
course
there
are
thousands
and
then
I
had
a
I
started
making
websites.
By
that
point
I
started
making
wordpress
websites
for
non-profits,
because
at
the
time
social
media
wasn't
quite
where
it's
at
now
and
there
were
a
lot
of
organizations
that
they
just
needed
to
get
their
word
out
there
a
little
bit
to
folks
that
wanted
to
support
them
just
to
have
a
place
on
the
internet.
Where
folks
could
learn
about
what
they
do.
D
D
Let
us
be
staff
support
on
this,
we'll
work
with
the
committee,
we'll
convene
and
coordinate
folks
we'll
get
updates
on
the
data,
but
we'll
also
work
with
organizations
that
do
that
work
in
this
space.
Given
our
network
and
a
network
of
the
other
players
involved,
and
that's
how
I
got
involved
with
mbk
and
then
the
mayor
decided
after
that
process,
it
led
to
an
action
plan
that
got
funded
in
local
philanthropy.
The
mayor
decided
to
create
a
position
in
his
office
to
to
kind
of
quarterback
the
work
from
there.
D
I
do
I
find,
and
I
feel
tremendously
fortunate
I've
had
a
chance
to
work
like,
as
you
might
imagine
so.
I
mentioned
like
the
violence
prevention
intervention
space.
There
are
organizations
that
work
with
like
hundreds
of
cities
on
this,
you
know
and
they
convene
folks
and
they
work
with
best
practices
and
stuff
like
that.
So
I've
had
a
chance
to
like
visit
other
cities
and
learn
about
like
what
the
setups
they
have
going.
There
we've
just
got
a
really
good
setup
here
in
pittsburgh.
There's
a
lot.
We
have
dozens
of
regional
universities.
D
We've
got
a
huge
foundation
community,
we
have
thousands
of
non-profits,
we
have
a
huge
business
community
and
like
long
long,
traditions
of
service
and
of
innovation,
and
things
like
that,
and
so
people
generally
have
like
a
can
do
attitude.
It's
just
a
matter
of
like
how
do
you
figure
it
out
like
how
do
you
get
it
funded?
How
do
you
get
it
assigned
that
kind
of
thing,
and
so
I
get
a
lot
of
reward
out
of
it,
but
I'm
just
constantly
inspired
too,
I
haven't
had
too
many
novel
ideas.
D
Let's
put
it
that
way,
I
say:
well,
I
think
this
sounds
smart
and
they're
like
oh
we're.
These
folks
have
been
doing
that
for
50
years,
and
it's
like
okay,
like
sounds
good,
no
need
to
reinvent
the
wheel.
How
do
we
get
involved,
but
it's
been
great
and
there's
a
lot
of
challenges.
I
mean
you
know
this
past
summer,
there's
like
this
this
moment
of
of
racial
reckoning
where
folks
are
trying
to
figure
out
like
what
it
all
means
and
how,
where
they
stand
with
things,
and
what
a
better
tomorrow
can
look
like.
D
D
D
So
I
have
tried
to
incorporate
as
much
routine
into
like
the
beginning
and
ends
of
my
days
so
that
I
kind
of
have
bookends
where,
where
there's
wellness
kind
of
baked
in
I
I
have
like
a
morning
routine,
that
includes
exercise
and
drinking
water
and
like
supplements
and
good
nutrition,
a
cup
of
coffee,
I
try
to
power
away.
I
try
to
get
away
from
screens
like
earlier
in
the
night,
so
that
my
mind
kind
of
can
decompress
and
do
some
reading
or
like
read
some
fiction
just
turn
off
the
problem.
D
Solving
part
of
my
brain
for
a
little
while
and
then
I
try
to
do
everything
possible
that
I
can
outside
like.
Even
this
morning,
I
swear
outside
and
just
breathe
for
a
while
just
to
be
outside.
I
love
walks
big
bike
person,
especially
these
days.
I've
had
more.
I've
had
a
lot
of
meaningful
moments
by
myself
on
one
of
our
pittsburgh
hills.
You
know
just
struggling,
you
know,
but
like
there's
something
about
you
know,
moving
your
body
through
space.
Yes,
it's
struggle.
D
Yes,
it's
tough,
it's
difficult,
but
you're,
just
like
I
can
make
it.
I
can
just
the
next
light
post,
the
next
intersection,
the
next
petal
and
like
that.
That
starts
to
accumulate
in,
like
my
mentality,
and
so
during
the
day
when
I
find
things
I'm
like
you
know
doing
stuff
on
work,
I'm
on
a
million
zoom
calls
that
voice
of
like
yes,
you
can
do
it
like
stay
here.
Stay
in
this
moment
we
got
it
is,
is
like
strengthened.
D
D
Indeed,
yeah,
no
truly,
I
mean
this
is
so
like.
For
me
it
was
like
okay,
this
is,
and
you
know
how
it
happened.
Like
kobe
kind
of
can't
seem
like
it
came
out
of
nowhere
and
there's
like
a
bunch
of
swirling
information.
We
don't
really
know
what
it
is.
People
are
saying
this
works
that
works.
This
doesn't
work,
it's
just
a
cacophony
right.
So
for
me
it
was
like
okay.
What
do
I?
What
do
I
know?
Okay,
it's
a
it's
a
virus
and
it
attacks
in
some
part,
the
respiratory
system.
D
So
me
it
was
like
that's
that
that,
for
me,
it's
like
okay,
flip
it
that's
a
challenge
to
build
my
respiratory
capacity.
Now,
I'm
not
going
to
put
myself
in
jeopardy,
I'm
not
trying
to
get
to
contract
disease,
but
I'm
going
to
work
out
every
day,
I'm
going
to
like
do.
Cardio
like
every
day,
I'm
going
to
like
do,
breathing
exercises
and
stuff
not
because
it'll
keep
me
safe,
but
because
it's
a
challenge
to
strengthen
in
a
time
when
there's
a
threat
to
it
so
anyways.
D
D
I
would
I
would
recommend
a
career
in
city
government.
I
would
recommend
participation
in
the
civic
arena
in
pittsburgh
and
there's
different
ways
to
make
an
impact.
You
know
if
you're
interested
in
what
neighborhood
life
is
like.
You
can
do
that
through
city
planning,
for
example,
or
you
can
do
that
by
organizing
or
getting
involved
with
community-based
organizations
that
care
about
that
or
you
can
get
a
degree
about
it
and
become
an
expert
in
it.