Department of Parks and Recreation

Department of Parks and Recreation

Mission

The Department of Parks and Recreation serves to enrich the lives of city residents and visitors through a wide array of programs and events that contribute to a safe and welcoming city where all residents thrive. Specifically, we strive to:

• Create a vibrant community that provides older adults with the social, emotional, and physical resources necessary to be able to stay safe in their home and community.
• Ensure that Pittsburgh’s children & youth have equitable access to quality educational and recreational enrichment opportunities to help them thrive as they enter adulthood.
• Utilize our park assets to offer community wide programs and events that strive to be accessible and welcoming to residents and visitors of all ages. Departmental/Bureau Overview The Department of Parks and Recreation accomplishes this mission through four core program areas that are supported by an operations and administrative team. The Operations and Administration division has direct oversight over fiscal and HR processes, planning for capital improvement projects, delivery of new programs and initiatives, and the management of all departmental budgets and trust funds. A critical focus of the Operations and Administration division is to coordinate with other City departments, the Office of the Mayor, City Council, and external partners to ensure effective, efficient, and impactful delivery of programs to the public. Our five core program areas include: Recreation Programs – The Recreation Programs division is committed to providing opportunities for residents and nonresidents of all ages to participate in directed recreational, educational, and enrichment-focused programs and activities. This area includes the operation of our recreation centers and fitness gyms, organized CitiSports/ sports programming, activities at the Schenley Ice Rink and Mellon Tennis Center, and the implementation of summer and after-school youth camps and programs. The recreation system has a specific focus on providing services to families and opportunities for Pittsburgh’s youth to have a safe and enriching place during out of school time hours. Senior and Wellness Programs – CitiParks operates 13 Healthy Active Living Centers which are focused on improving the physical, intellectual, social, cultural, and financial health and interests of older residents. The senior program partners with other area agencies in delivering quality health and wellness programs, and works to address the needs of individuals as they age. Food System Programs – In addition to the direct meal support that we offer to Seniors and Children, the CitiParks Department also supports a number of initiatives that are focused on improving Pittsburgh’s food system. This includes staffing the operations at four of the City’s Farmers Markets, supporting urban agriculture through the City Farms Program, and implementing the newly created Pittsburgh Food Justice Fund. Community Programs – Community programs and events are focused on activating our park and recreation spaces to engage city residents in a whole host of enriching experiences. Our office of Special Events is charged with hosting movies, music, races, and other key city events including the 4th of July and Light Up Night. Our Community Enrichment team operates the Roving Art Cart, participates in special recreational programs, partners with PPS Schools, and organizes and plans annual premier celebrations like Alphabet Trail & Tales and Track n' Treat. A specific focus of this program area is the Rec2Tech initiative. This program focuses on the development and delivery of technology focused programs, coding, and other tech-adjacent learning initiatives. Aquatics Programs – The aquatics division is responsible for providing city residents with access to safe pools and aquatic activity year-round. The aquatics division operates 18 City of Pittsburgh pools and nine spray parks during the summer months. In the off season the aquatics team operates the Oliver Bath House, scheduled to complete renovation in fall of 2024, and partners with Pittsburgh Public Schools to host swim opportunities and 230

lifeguard trainings for Pittsburgh youth that may be interesting in becoming a part of the City’s aquatics team. In addition to staffing the pools for open swim, the aquatics team offers learn to swim, water aerobics, and swim team programming throughout the summer months.

2025 Accomplishments

• 182,547 patrons visited the sixteen open city pools during the 2025 summer season.
• Over 67,000 meals were distributed to seniors across the City's twelve Healthy Active Living Center locations.
• $3 Million dollars of investments made by the Food Justice Fund were executed in 2025.
• Over 300 Pittsburgh youth enjoyed the free City Summer Camp - KidSmart Club - across the City's five participating Recreation Centers.
• The City's Rec2Tech program received a grant providing 100 laptops that are currently being distributed for use across CitiParks Rec Centers and Healthy Active Living Centers in an effort to continue to provide tech access and education.