Amenities Topic Team
Sustainable Pittsburgh (SP) is focusing on Amenities & Lifestyle as one of four primary areas of influence (the other three focal areas are: Smart Land Use, Transportation for Livable Communities and Diversity & Civic Engagement.) For these four areas, teams have been established. These teams are the venue through which SP Affiliates and interested others work together to identify and implement an action agenda.
The following is a summary of the goals of the Amenities & Lifestyle Topic Team.
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Infuse amenities strategies into the mainstream economic development and marketing agenda of our region.
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Promote natural amenities and resources as key contributors to the economy, quality of life, and the attraction and retention of talent and businesses.
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Develop and execute an action plan for enhancing amenities.
Research
The team has made a remarkable impact in elevating the region's understanding of the material economic contributions made by the environment and recreation in the New Economy. Richard Florida's research, "Competing in the Age of Talent: The Environment, Amenities, and the New Economy," sponsored by SP and the R.K. Mellon Foundation continues to gain local as well as national recognition for its insight on importance of quality of life as a prerequisite for a strong economy. An executive summary of the study was featured as an insert in the December 2000 issues of the Pittsburgh Technology Council's TEQ magazine.
greenpittsburgh.net
Initiated by 3 Rivers Connect (3RC) together with Sustainable Pittsburgh in July 1999, greenpittsburgh.net is a searchable Internet-based geographic information system to inventory, map, and dynamically display region's natural amenities, recreation areas, and environmental resources of Southwestern Pennsylvania. The overall objective is to raise awareness of these quality of life issues toward enhancing appreciation for our natural environment and helping our region compete in today’s highly mobile entrepreneur market. The site was publicly launched on May 2, 2000 via a cybercast news conference at the Pittsburgh Center for the Arts and is now a project of Venture Outdoors.
Outdoor Recreation Events
Venture Outdoors Festival
Our region’s annual outdoor recreation festival gets more successful each year. Nearly 2000 people enjoyed the many activities available at the first festival. Nearly 6000 festival goers attended the last Venture Outdoor Festival. For more information please go to Venture Outdoors.
Great Outdoors Week
Leading the region to healthy lifestyles through outdoor recreation
Designed
to affect and broaden decision-making to integrate outdoor recreation
amenities in economic and marketing strategies, increasing investment in
the region’s outdoor recreation amenities and ensuring improved quality
of life/sustainability.
Sustainable
Pittsburgh continues to facilitate a host of partner organizations to
implement Great Outdoors Week in an effort to create public awareness of a
remarkable number and variety of outdoor recreation opportunities all year
long. Included on the Great Outdoors Week committee is Bike-Pittsburgh,
Community Design Center of Pittsburgh, Pittsburgh Downtown Partnership,
Southwestern Pennsylvania Commission, Sustainable Pittsburgh, Three Rivers
Rowing Association, and Venture Outdoors. The larger goal of Great
Outdoors week is to increase the public engagement in outdoor recreation
in the region and connect it to the region's strategy for competitiveness.
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