Pittsburgh’s rise has been tied to its rivers, and for the last decade and a half a new sensibility about how to live, work and play along their banks has grown up in the city due to the spirited advocacy of Riverlife.
The public-private partnership was created in 1999 as the Riverlife Task Force and was a passion of late Post-Gazette editor John G. Craig Jr., a founding co-chair.
The organization has been dedicated to preparing and sustaining Pittsburgh’s riverfront for a variety of uses: positive and compatible development, natural and historic preservation, creative and enlightened public access. At the helm of Riverlife for most of its years has been Lisa Schroeder, its president and CEO.
Unfortunately, Ms. Schroeder will be leaving Pittsburgh to head the Parks & People Foundation next month in her native Baltimore, Md. She leaves behind a rich legacy of cooperation, accomplishment and, occasionally, conflict aimed at improving the city’s connection with its rivers. She worked with government, foundations, civic groups, developers and property owners. Under her leadership, Riverlife spearheaded or partnered in projects that created trails, overhauled riverbanks, modernized park space and raised the bar on development.
Pittsburgh is all the better for her service to its land and its waterways. In modern times, the Monongahela, Allegheny and Ohio have probably had no better friend.
First Published: December 6, 2014, 5:00 a.m.