Rosedale Hill Gardens

Our Work > Projects > Green Stormwater Infrastructure – Large > Rosedale Hill Gardens

Rosedale Hill garden with pavillion, raised garden beds, and benches — Rosedale Hill garden

Volunteers planting and mulching at rosedale Hill garden — Pittserves Volunteers planting and mulching at Rosedale Hill garden

Rosedale Hill Rain Garden before Pittsburgh PA — During

Rosedale Hill Rain Garden Pittsburgh PA — During

Rosedale Hill Rain Garden group photo Pittsburgh PA

Rosedale Hill Gardens

We began working with Operation Better Block during the Rosedale Runoff Reduction Project, participating in their neighborhood cluster planning process. Since Rosedale Street, the namesake of the project, is located in Cluster 9, many of the GSI improvements were planned for this area of Homewood. Zinna Scott, a fierce neighborhood advocate who is known throughout the city, chairs the OBB Cluster 8 + 9 Committee and lives on Rosedale Street.

In 2017, Zinna – Ms. Z as many call her – began improving a pair of vacant lots at the end of her block. The first improvement was the removal of weeds, trash and debris, followed by the installation of a large rain garden, the building of a bench for visitors (with help from the Trade Institute of Pittsburgh) and installation of a large Welcome to Homewood sign. The next phase of improvements will be a series of raised garden beds which will be of a height that is accessible to all ages and to people who use wheelchairs.

While originally viewed as a stormwater project, this site has evolved to also include features like vegetable gardening and accessible pathways to attract all types of neighbors. We truly listened to the community and stepped outside our box to build a project that is probably our most active community site.

This 2017 project has cleaned up two vacant and abandoned lots at the edge of the Homewood neighborhood, instilled pride in the neighborhood, and has served as a meeting space for residents.