Leader
Ashley Rodrigo
Location
1810 Fulton St (Intersection of Columbus Ave and Fulton St) Pittsburgh, PA 15233
About the project
Our goal is for Our SPACE to create a more vibrant and healthy Northside community.
The Our SPACE project aligns with our mission to open doors to resources and create educational pathways for youth affected by generational poverty in the Pittsburgh region. Our SPACE, will offer a spray park, aquaponics center, & educational opportunities, retrofitting existing unused park amenities to provide new recreational and economic opportunities for the neighborhood’s youth and adults alike. We want Our SPACE to be a place the Northside community can call their own.
Our SPACE will provide youth with a safe, outdoor recreational place to run around and have fun. The creation of our aquaponics center and greenhouse will provide the neighborhood with direct access to healthy, organic foods and food security. In addition, the center will provide vocational training to youth and disadvantaged adult populations as it transforms into an agriculture business. The community space will allow youth, adults and families to learn, play, work and most importantly, come together as a community.
The Steps
Community & Partner Engagement
- Neighborhood follow-up meeting: Summer 2018
- Workforce development strategy sessions with community partners (Manchester Bidwell Corporation, etc): Summer 2018
- Market research investigating restaurant demand for local aquaponically grown produce & fish, building off Spring 2018 prelininary market research study: Fall 2018
Engineering & Architectural design development: Summer/Fall 2018
- Schematic layouts for pool house renovations and spray park
- Schematic design for greenhouse & aquaponics system installation
Why we‘re doing it
The three central components of Our SPACE integrate the strengths of TDC’s existing programs with priorities and needs in Manchester and the broader Northside community.
1. Recreational amenities: Spray Park & Community Space
Throughout the 2017-18 Manchester Neighborhood Planning process, residents have reflected on the urgent need for after-school and summer opportunities for the neighborhood’s children. The construction of a spray park and community space would allow for alternative walkable, family-friendly recreation for the neighborhood. In response to suggestions from the community, TDC is also exploring building a community kitchen in the pool house which would encourage summer cookouts and increase overall intergenerational accessibility of the park.
2. Food access: Aquaponics Center
Food access is a 2018 priority within Pittsburgh’s 6th council district, where rates of food insecurity and poverty are the highest citywide. Over the past 5 years, The Door Campaign has been establishing our role as aquaponics educators in the city. By raising fish and growing vegetables through aquaponics, we can provide nutritious, local food for the neighborhood and region. Communites and local restaurants will be able to purchase farm-raised fish and aquaponically grown plants for use in their kitchens and in return they will providing local, sustainable food production for the community.
3. Education: Youth STEM Education & Job Training
The Door Campaign’s STEM/Aquaponics program is active throughout the region, serving over 500 students, including youth at Manchester Academic Charter School and Manchester Youth Development Center. Our SPACE will serve as an experiential learning opportunity and real-world community destination for youth in our STEM/Aquaponics program. During development and operation of the facility, TDC will offer employment opportunities and job training in construction, urban agriculture, and marketing/distribution.