PENS SEARCHING FOR MONEY TO FULFILL BROKEN PROMISE TO COMMUNITY

In summer of 2008 when the construction of the new CONSOL energy Center began it was to include a public art project as outlined in the Public Art Master plan of the CONSOL Energy Center.  Identified in the plan  as “The Garden  Passage” it was to be  located on the strip of land between the new arena and Epiphany Church that connects Centre Avenue to Washington Place and Fifth Avenue.  Also the intention was that it would be a pedestrian passage from the Hill District into the Uptown area of the city.  And was originally a condition of approval for the overall site by the City Planning Commission through its approval process.

Through a strenuous bidding process Walter Hood a nationally recognized artist, as well as his collaborative partner, ARUP were selected as the Architectural Consultants who would design this project, which they ultimately called “Curtain Call”. 

The project was supposed to have a path that ushers water from an upper storm drain through a series of rain gardens.  These rain gardens would have incorporated native plants which would help clean the water as it funnels through the passage before going back into a lower storm drain system.  This concept was one of the criteria that allowed the Pens to receive leed certification.  Additionally, the wall/curtain would have up to 5000 6 X 6 photographs scanned into computer images and transferred to glass cubes.  Subsequently there was recruitment and a mass collection of photos from Hill residents who came in droves sharing their memories and intimate family collectives.    This was going to be a way to preserve some of the history of this community, whose recovery from the devastation experienced in the early 50’s has been long and slow.   This project was projected to be $1.5 million

After all of this planning and preparation at the completion of the CONSOL construction in 2010, the Penguins claimed they did not have enough money to fulfill this promise.  And while there has recently been installed right in the location where “Curtain Call” was to have been, a large 3 piece statue of Mario Lemieux, the SEA, on behalf of the Penguins organizations has been involved in meetings with funders and other entities soliciting funds to pay for this project that is now in a state of permanent limbo.

The question is why is there no sense of obligation on the part of the Pens, and why do they continue to be awarded public subsidies in response to what they want, but when it is time to give back to the community, they cannot find the money.  Soliciting funds from funders for a project that was part of their CONSOL Master Plan, is just another in a long stream of monies they are asking for.  The lower hill has been deemed blighted by the City, which will in effect allow the Pens to secure Public funds for development, the SEA on their behalf has requested that they be excused from having to purchase landscaping for the new parking that will be on the footprint of the old arena, because they claim they are too expensive, and the community benefit still remains a question.