Plant a seed, watch it grow

Oakland community gardens are a precious resource, and it takes a lot of work and love to make them thrive. During the Oakland Plan process, residents agreed that Oakland’s gardens need more visibility, easier access, more space, and better technical assistance. 

Get to know Oakland’s community gardens!  

Frazier Farms sits on land owned by OPDC. It is managed by South Oakland residents. Want to get involved? Attend a South Oakland Neighborhood Group meeting to learn more. SONG meets on the first Tuesday of the month at 6:00 pm at the Frazier Fieldhouse. 

Plant2Plate: Pitt students have supported a garden on Oakland Avenue for many years – but future university development on the site may make it necessary to find new digs. The garden publishes news and calls for volunteers through its Instagram account: @plant2plategarden.

Oakcliffe Garden may be overgrown, but it is brimming with potential. This site on the corner of Lawn and Elsinore has struggled to find dedicated volunteers. Got ideas? Let us know at questions@opdc.org.

Resources

An initiative of Grow Pittsburgh, the Garden Resource Center (GRC) is a tool-lending library and garden materials depot. For a sliding scale annual membership fee, the GRC allows patrons to borrow garden tools and access to bulk materials such as organic compost and mulch. 

The city’s Adopt-a-Lot program allows residents to plant gardens on city-owned vacant lots for food, flowers, or rain water capture. Adopt-a-Lot has made big strides in Hazelwood, Homewood, and the Hill District, but uptake is lacking in Oakland. To get started, fill out the form at pittsburghpa.gov/dcp/adopt-a-lot. 

Do you have garden ideas, or want to get involved? Join Let’s Talk: Oakland Community Gardens on Sept 20 .

Our shortcut for helping students learn the ropes

It’s the start of a new school year, which means lots of young people are joining the Oakland community for the first time.

For many students, renting in Oakland is their first experience living on their own. They need to learn about trash and recycling, transportation and parking, public safety, and more—the sooner, the better!

This is why OPDC created a simple QR-code fridge magnet to connect students with our student renter resources page. The page features links to essential information that will help students understand their rights, resources, and responsibilities as renters and community members. OPDC will be updating and supplementing information on the student renter resources page as needed.

“We wanted to create a magnet that can live on the fridge, even as renters turnover year after year,” says Liz Gray, OPDC Neighborhood Quality Consultant. “It’s a way for students to have easy access to consistent, reliable information, even as guidelines may change.”

Want to get your hands on one of our magnets? Find us at one of the Be a Good Neighbor Block Parties, connect with a Pitt student ambassador, or visit our office at 294 Semple.

Check out our student renter resources page.

Keeping clutter off Oakland's streets

It’s move-out season, a time when Oakland’s streets are littered with still-useful household items that often wind up in the dump. Clutter for a Cause is a collaboration between OPDC and Pitt to collect these items to reduce litter and waste and promote sustainable re-use. 

Last month volunteers collected 37 large items, 24 electronics, 49 dorm essentials, 84 kitchen items, and LOTS of clothing. Thanks to our volunteers and donors for taking part!

Making space for live music in Oakland

An all-ages show at the Electric Banana in North Oakland, courtesy of Oyo Ellis.

Oakland was once home to a bunch of live music venues, many of which hosted all-ages shows. Those venues have long since closed—a loss not just for local musicians, but for the community as a whole.

Oyo Ellis (left) in front of the Electric Banana

Ahead of this month’s Let’s Talk community conversation on live music in Oakland, we’re looking back at three notable Oakland venues with Oyo Ellis, OPDC Facilities Manager and long-time member of Pittsburgh’s music scene, to inspire a conversation about how we might support all-ages entertainment here in the future.

Courtesy of Steve Bodner via electricbananaclub.net

The Electric Banana (3887 Bigelow Blvd.)

Active: 1977-1999

The Electric Banana began as a disco club in 1977, but “caught the first wave of punk going into the ‘80s,” says Ellis. The club had all-ages shows on Wednesdays and Sundays, with some bands even playing twice on the same day to accommodate younger audiences.

Graffiti (4615 Baum Blvd.)

Active: 1982-2000

“Graffiti was specifically a performance venue that was notable for hosting bands that would eventually break out,” says Ellis. When Green Day came through following the release of their Grammy-winning album Dookie, “there were little kids with their parents there!”

Club Laga (3609 Forbes Ave.)

Active: 1996-2004

3609 Forbes was home to a number of clubs including the Attic and the Upstage Lounge. “Laga was the last of an era,” says Ellis, who worked the door for six years. It could hold several hundred people and played host to all-ages shows with music ranging from underground rap to rock, punk, and metal.