What We Do

South Side Public Art is bringing art to the South Side, giving artists opportunities to develop their skills, display their art, be compensated when possible, and to engage openly with the community. This positive approach is inclusive and celebrates the diversity and creativity of artists in Pittsburgh and elsewhere.

More About South Side Public Art

One of Pittsburgh’s first riverfront parks, the South Side Riverfront Park located along the Monongahela River is an integral component of the Three Rivers Heritage Trail system. Park amenities include one of the four public boat launches in the City of Pittsburgh, two kayak launches, dog park with a dedicated ‘small dog’ area, & plenty of public parking to access the Park’s amenities.  The Southside Community Council holds trail cleanups in the spring and fall.  If you are interested in participating in an upcoming trail cleanup, see our Volunteer page. 

For more information about the Park and Riverfront trail visit Riverlife Pittsburgh’s Riverfront Guide page https://riverlifepgh.org/riverfront-guide/south-side-riverfront-park-trail/

In collaboration with the Citiparks Ormsby Recreation Center, the South Side Community Council created a community garden in 2021.  The garden will be a teaching tool for Citiparks Children’s Summer Programs at Ormsby. It will be maintained by the kids and all the beautiful bounty of fresh veggies will go to the kids, their families and anyone that volunteers at the garden During the summer, Tuesdays are harvest nights where residents can pick up vegetables. Several volunteers worked hard every Saturday in the summer of 2021 to dig out the grass, get new dirt in, and transform the space into a beautiful garden.

If you are interested in participating in the Ormsby Children’s Community Garden, see our Volunteer page

More about Ormsby Park Community Garden

The South Side Community Council plants street trees twice a year, spring and fall.  We also weed and mulch existing tree pits year-round.

If you are interested in a street tree or to volunteer on a maintenance day, see our Volunteer page. 

There are six gardens and parklets on the flats that the SSCC currently manages:

• 11th and Carson
• 18th and Carson
• South Side Riverfront Park sign and garden
• Steel worker sculpture garden (by the dog park)
• War Memorial Park at Sarah and 12th

Saving a South Side Treasure: The Reopening of the Oliver Bath House

The rebirth of the Oliver Bath House is a testament to what can happen when the value of a neighborhood asset and historic building is fully realized. In 2014, the future of this community staple was far from certain; it sat quietly on a city list of aging structures potentially facing demolition due to rising maintenance costs.

The South Side Community Council helped support the historic landmark application, and in 2015, the Oliver Bath House was officially added to the list of local historic structures.

This designation proved to be a turning point. Not only did it permanently take demolition off the table, but it also unlocked millions of dollars in local, state, and federal funding that would have otherwise been inaccessible. Despite the challenges of a global pandemic and construction delays, the path to restoration remained clear because the foundation for preservation had been laid years earlier.

Today, as the doors swing open once again, the SSCC is proud to have been part of the effort that ensured this $5 million modernization project could happen—preserving a piece of history for the next generation of South Siders.