Photograph of the Andrew Carnegie Free Library and Music Hall at the top of Library Hill
within Library Park, which overlooks the business district of the Borough of Carnegie, Pennsylvania. During the Winter months, as pictured here, neighborhood children often sled-ride in
Library Park.
(Image Source: History of Andrew Carnegie and Carnegie Libraries Internet Web Site; Photographer: Lynne S. Walsh)
By Glenn A. Walsh
Reporting for LibraryWatchtower
After several years of rehabilitating
the historic Andrew Carnegie Free Library and Music Hall building in
the Pittsburgh suburb of Carnegie, Pennsylvania, Library management
has announced plans to enhance Library Park. Library Park consists of
part of a large hill (known as Library Hill, with the Andrew Carnegie Free
Library and Music Hall at the top of the Hill), which overlooks the
business district of the Borough of Carnegie.
Upon the opening of the Andrew Carnegie
Free Library and Music Hall on 1901 May 1 (the cornerstone was
actually laid in 1899), the Library Foyer includes a plaque which
reads ---
"THIS BUILDING AND PARK
GIVEN AND DEDICATED BY
ANDREW CARNEGIE
TO THE CITIZENS OF THIS BOROUGH
ANNO DOMINI 1899"
GIVEN AND DEDICATED BY
ANDREW CARNEGIE
TO THE CITIZENS OF THIS BOROUGH
ANNO DOMINI 1899"
Over more than a century, Library Park
has been a grassy and partially wooded hill, the only green space in
the center of busy Carnegie Borough. Library Park has been the host
of several public events over the years, including encampments of
Civil War re-enactors (affiliated with the Library's historic Civil
War veterans' post museum) and even a public viewing of a Partial
Eclipse of the Sun on 1998 February 26 (one of only two sites in
Allegheny County for such a public viewing, and the only site outside of the City of Pittsburgh).
The center of the enhancements to
Library Park would be a new paved pathway from the Library, down the
hill to the corner of Broadway and East Main Street, near the center
of the Borough's business district. Actually, the sidewalk / plaza
area along Broadway at Main Street (which, legally, is part of
Library Park) was rehabilitated by the Borough several years ago; so
this area would not be included in this new proposal.
The proposed pathway through the Park
to Main Street would provide easier access to parking lots in the
business district, for people attending Music Hall events. Vehicle
parking for events in the Music Hall has always been limited at the
top of Library Hill, although there has never been a problem with
parking for people who regularly visit the Library.
This new pathway would also improve
pedestrian access to the Library, after the steps from Beechwood
Avenue to the Library entrance were removed during re-landscaping of
that area in front of the Library entrance. Steps, next to the World
War I Memorial, which provided access to the Park from the former
Broadway site of Carnegie High School, had been removed many years
earlier.
A children's play area is one of the
ideas being considered for Library Park. In the late 1990s, the
Library's Board of Trustees attempted to obtain children's playground
equipment from a Burger King in Greenfield, which was closing. This
attempt was not successful.
Although two Borough-maintained benches
exist along the sidewalk of the Beechwood Avenue entrance to Library
Park, additional benches along the new walkway through the Park have
been proposed. Better lighting, landscaping, sculptures, and,
perhaps, even a plaza area are being considered for Library Park.
A $35,000 grant from the Allegheny
Foundation is helping to fund the design concept for Library Park
enhancements. The design concept is being formulated by LaQuatra
Bonci Associates of Pittsburgh.
A community meeting at the Library, at
the beginning of this month, allowed community members to provide
public input into the Library Park plan. A possible design concept,
with a proposed budget for the improvements, is expected to be
available next month for consideration by the Library's Board of
Trustees. Then, fund-raising for the project can begin.
Internet Links to Additional Information ---
Photograph Album - Library Park of the Andrew Carnegie Free Library and Music Hall:
Link >>> http://andrewcarnegie.tripod.com/photofreelibrary.htm#LP
News Release: "Safe Public Viewing of Solar Eclipse at Library Park." 1998 Feb. 10.
Link >>> http://andrewcarnegie.tripod.com/nrsol.htm
Cherry, Bobby. "Work to create Library Park in Carnegie set to begin."
TribLive.com: Tribune-Review, Pittsburgh 2017 June 3.
Improvements to Library Park, at the Andrew Carnegie Free Library and Music Hall in the Pittsburgh suburb of Carnegie, Pennsylvania, are about to begin.
Link >>> http://triblive.com/local/carlynton/12361742-74/work-to-create-library-park-in-carnegie-set-to-begin
Wilson Fuoco, Linda.
"Design ready, but money needed for proposed Library Park."
Pittsburgh Post-Gazette 2016 Oct. 14.
News article includes rendering of proposed improvements to Carnegie, PA's Library Park, for the Andrew Carnegie Free Library and Music Hall.
Link >>> http://www.post-gazette.com/local/city/2016/10/14/Design-ready-money-needed-for-proposed-Library-Park/stories/201610070010
Mayernik, Jr., David.
"Park planned for Andrew Carnegie Free Library & Music Hall in Carnegie."</a><br>
Tribune-Review, Pittsburgh 2016 Oct. 7.
News article includes rendering of proposed improvements to Carnegie, PA's Library Park.
Link >>> http://triblive.com/local/carlynton/11228703-74/library-park-hall
Spezialetti, Jim. "Park planned for Carnegie library, music hall land."
Tribune-Review, Pittsburgh 2016 Aug. 10.
Plan to enhance Library Park, given along with the Andrew Carnegie Free Library and Music Hall in Carnegie, Pennsylvania, by Andrew Carnegie in 1901.
2016 Aug. 20.
2016: 75th Year of Pittsburgh's Buhl Planetarium Observatory
Link >>> http://spacewatchtower.blogspot.com/2016/01/astronomical-calendar-2016-january.html
Like This Post? - Please Share!
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Send request to < librarywatchtower@andrewcarnegie.cc >.
gaw
Glenn A. Walsh, LibraryWatchtower Editor / Author:
< http://buhlplanetarium2.tripod.com/weblog/spacewatchtower/gaw/ >
Electronic Mail - < gawalsh@andrewcarnegie.cc >
Twitter Feed: < https://twitter.com/spacewatchtower >
LibraryWatchtower Blog: < http://librarywatchtower.blogspot.com >
SpaceWatchtower Blog: < http://spacewatchtower.blogspot.com/ >
South Hills Backyard Astronomers Blog: < http://shbastronomers.blogspot.com/ >
Barnestormin Blog: Writing, Essays, Pgh. News, etc.: < http://www.barnestormin.blogspot.com/ >
Author of History Web Sites on the Internet --
* Andrew Carnegie & Carnegie Libraries:
< http://www.andrewcarnegie.
* West End Branch, The Carnegie Library of Pittsburgh:
< http://andrewcarnegie.tripod.com/cfl.html#westend >
* Andrew Carnegie Free Library & Music Hall, Carnegie PA:
< http://andrewcarnegie2.tripod.com >
* Civil War Museum of Andrew Carnegie Free Library:
< http://garespypost.tripod.com >
* Astronomer, Educator, Optician John A. Brashear:
< http://johnbrashear.tripod.com >
* Buhl Planetarium, Pittsburgh:
< http://www.planetarium.
* Adler Planetarium, Chicago:
< http://adlerplanetarium.
* Duquesne Incline cable-car railway, Pittsburgh:
< http://inclinedplane.tripod.
* Public Transit:
< http://andrewcarnegie2.tripod.
2016: 75th Year of Pittsburgh's Buhl Planetarium Observatory
Link >>> http://spacewatchtower.blogspot.com/2016/01/astronomical-calendar-2016-january.html
Like This Post? - Please Share!
Want to receive LibraryWatchtower blog posts in your inbox ?
Send request to < librarywatchtower@andrewcarnegie.cc >.
gaw
Glenn A. Walsh, LibraryWatchtower Editor / Author:
< http://buhlplanetarium2.tripod.com/weblog/spacewatchtower/gaw/ >
Electronic Mail - < gawalsh@andrewcarnegie.cc >
Twitter Feed: < https://twitter.com/spacewatchtower >
LibraryWatchtower Blog: < http://librarywatchtower.blogspot.com >
SpaceWatchtower Blog: < http://spacewatchtower.blogspot.com/ >
South Hills Backyard Astronomers Blog: < http://shbastronomers.blogspot.com/ >
Barnestormin Blog: Writing, Essays, Pgh. News, etc.: < http://www.barnestormin.blogspot.com/ >
Author of History Web Sites on the Internet --
* Andrew Carnegie & Carnegie Libraries:
< http://www.andrewcarnegie.
* West End Branch, The Carnegie Library of Pittsburgh:
< http://andrewcarnegie.tripod.com/cfl.html#westend >
* Andrew Carnegie Free Library & Music Hall, Carnegie PA:
< http://andrewcarnegie2.tripod.com >
* Civil War Museum of Andrew Carnegie Free Library:
< http://garespypost.tripod.com >
* Astronomer, Educator, Optician John A. Brashear:
< http://johnbrashear.tripod.com >
* Buhl Planetarium, Pittsburgh:
< http://www.planetarium.
* Adler Planetarium, Chicago:
< http://adlerplanetarium.
* Duquesne Incline cable-car railway, Pittsburgh:
< http://inclinedplane.tripod.
* Public Transit:
< http://andrewcarnegie2.tripod.
