One of Pittsburgh’s Oldest Parks Is Getting a Modern Upgrade

PHOTO VIA PITTSBURGH PARKS CONSERVANCY

One of Pittsburgh’s oldest parks is getting a facelift that city officials say is long overdue.

The City of Pittsburgh and the Pittsburgh Parks Conservancy announced the McKinley Park Community Grove Project — a major investment to restore and reimagine a historic gathering space that serves the city’s Hilltop neighborhoods.

Located in the Chicken Hill section of McKinley Park, just below Michigan Street, the Community Grove will revitalize a site once home to a beloved, resident-built baseball field, honoring its legacy while creating new opportunities for recreation, education and community use, officials say.

The Community Grove is designed to serve as a flexible space for youth programming, nature-based education and cultural expression, including opportunities to showcase local art and community history. The redesign will also strengthen connections throughout the park by improving trail access and overall design. 

Key features include: 

• A 20-foot hexagonal shade pavilion with a surrounding seat wall for gatherings  
• Open lawn space for recreation and community use  
• A dedicated outdoor learning area for education and small-group programming  
• Improved trail connections, stairs, and pathways to enhance accessibility  
• Stormwater and drainage improvements to reduce erosion and improve usability 
• Expanded ecological restoration areas with opportunities for environmental education  
• Picnic tables and informal seating integrated throughout the space  
• Preservation of historic baseball backstop posts as a tribute to the site’s past, with potential for a future community-led art installation  

Serving the Hilltop neighborhoods of Beltzhoover, Allentown, Knoxville, Bon Air and surrounding communities, McKinley Park has long been an essential green space. The 79-acre area boasts historic trees, basketball courts, playgrounds, a skatepark and woodland trails; it was founded in 1898 as Maple Park, but was renamed in 1902 after the assassination of President William McKinley the previous year. Over the years, residents of Knoxville and Beltzhoover have also known the park as Butcher’s Grove and Ritter’s Hollow.

The Community Grove marks the next phase in the park’s ongoing revitalization, and the next chapter in the community’s history books.

“The Community Grove reflects the heart of this neighborhood—its history, resilience, and vision for the future,” Catherine Qureshi, president and CEO of the Pittsburgh Parks Conservancy, says in a statement. “We’ve worked side by side with park neighbors to shape a space that truly belongs to them. That’s what makes this project so meaningful: it’s not just happening in the community — it’s being built with the community.”

Developed in close collaboration with residents and community partners — including the Beltzhoover Consensus Group, Knoxville Community Council, Voices Against Violence and Hilltop Alliance — city officials say the project reflects a shared vision for a welcoming, nature-based space designed for gathering, play and learning.

“The Community Grove is a great project that has brought together local residents and partners to invest in the revitalization of McKinley Park,” says Mayor Corey O’Connor. “The idea that has come together through the community will create a vibrant new space within this park that will offer new opportunities for recreation and programming for youth and families throughout the local neighborhoods and beyond.”

The project, which is expected to begin construction in fall 2026, represents a total investment of approximately $660,000 — including $464,000 for construction and $196,000 for design and management — and is funded in part by the City of Pittsburgh Parks Tax Trust Fund, along with support from the Henry L. Hillman Foundation, Pennsylvania American Water and the American Water Charitable Foundation.

“We have been working with Hilltop neighborhood leaders for several years and have been so impressed with their commitment and what they’re accomplishing,” David Roger, president of Henry L. Hillman Foundation, says in a statement. “When we were approached by the partnership led by the Pittsburgh Parks Conservancy to create the new Community Grove in McKinley Park, we were pleased to be able to help the neighborhoods realize another part of their vision. It’s the type of effort that makes Pittsburgh such a special place.”