Formed in the 1880s, the Edgewood Borough Volunteer Fire Department operates out of a station behind the borough building. Services include firefighting, hazardous materials response, vehicle rescue and search and rescue.
Pittsburgh is grey all year round, even in the sticky days of summer. The Steel City's cloudiness is up there with Seattle; seriously, look it up. But inside the Phipps Conservatory, even on the coldest, drabbest day, it feels like a tropical vacation. With more than a dozen indoor botanic gardens, and some outside for warm days, visitors are easily transported to the landscapes of the jungle or desert. Phipps is the perfect escape right in the middle of the bustle of Pittsburgh's Oakland neighborhood.
Parking and public transportation to the Phipps Conservatory
The best spot to park is the median in between Schenley Drive, right in front of the conservatory. Spots here are free to Phipps visitors, but fill up fast. Street parking is available across the bridge in Oakland, but rates are fairly high. To reach Phipps without a car, take one of the many buses to Oakland, exit near the Carnegie Public Library, walk over the Schenley Drive bridge and you're there.
Best and worst time to go to the Phipps Conservatory
Avoid the summer weekends and holidays, if possible. Tourists and suburban dwellers flock to Schenley Park and the conservatory and clog up the gardens, making it hard to enjoy the natural beauty. Weekends in the winter are not nearly as bad, and provide a warm, organic feel, even though you are indoors. Mondays and Tuesdays are generally the slowest times of the week to visit.
Admission to the Phipps Conservatory
Tickets are between $15-$20, with a small discount for students and seniors. Children 18 and under are $10-$15. On special Sundays throughout the year, the conservatory offers free and discounted days, so check their website before visiting.
Must see/do at the Phipps Conservatory
The tropical forest room in the back of the conservatory is the most is impressive. With its two stories, high clear glass ceiling, and water falls, it is a must see. Also, through the gardens out back, sits the Center for Sustainable Landscapes, which is billed as one of the greenest buildings in the world and is a great example of how modern architecture can balance with nature.
Other places to visit near the Phipps Conservatory
The conservatory is part of Schenley Park, one of the cities best parks, so explore some of its trails. On Atwood Drive in Oakland, is Pittsburgh's best ice cream, Dave and Andy's. If you are feeling collegiate, walk the campus of the renowned Carnegie Mellon University, named for Pittsburgh's most famous son, steel tycoon Andrew Carnegie.
Insider tip for visitors to the Phipps Conservatory
Remember to check the Phipps website for Sunday free and discounted days, and before leaving the conservatory, don't miss a chance to eat at the cafe inside. It is consistently voted for some of the best museum food in the country, which is pretty stiff competition. Plates are beautifully presented and prices are affordable.
Author's bio: Ryan Deto, originally from California, has been exploring the streets of Pittsburgh for more than four years. He has been published in "LA Weekly" and has traveled to more than a dozen countries and more than 40 states throughout America.
Magisterial District Number 05-2-19 serves Dormont and Mount Lebanon. District justices handle issues including traffic tickets and determine whether there is probable cause for criminal cases to advance to common pleas court. District Judge Larotonda is serving his second six-year term.
Like most fire stations, the Option Independent Fire Company relies on a team of brave volunteers to serve its community. Option Independent, located on Streets Run Road and very near Baldwin Emergency Medical Services Station 510 just off of Route 51, has two fire trucks in its garage and boasts a large, open parking lot for visitors. The company was chartered on May 16, 1923.
Unity Volunteer Fire Department located on Old Leechburg Road in Plum Boro is one of the 4 Volunteer Fire Departments in Plum. This all-volunteer staff services a 29 square mile area. In addition to their fire fighting services, they also have a quick response medical service unit that assists Plum EMS. The Unity Fire Department is active in the community and will come out to schools, events for children and other gatherings. Check out their website for more information.
Altvater's Auto Sales offers a very limited number of pre-owned vehicles for purchase, but provides PENNDOT services, such as vehicle titling and registration. This includes driver's license registration and replacements and license plates and stickers. Altvater's is a notary public.
GIS, or Government Information Specialists, offers clients a full range of government-relations services. It provides coverage of legislative and regulatory issues in local, regional and national government, and can investigate specific legislation that may apply to your business. Its clients include Allegheny County Sanitation Authority, EcoClean, Inc., and the Pennsylvania Association of Private School Administrators.
District Judge Thomas P. Caulfield, located in Forest Hills, serves Edgewood Borough, Forest Hills, Churchill and Wilkins Township. Traffic tickets, civil complaints, drunk driving cases and retail theft cases all are handled at this court level for these municipalities.
This location is approved by the Pennsylvania Department of Transportation to renew driver's licenses, title registrations, handle related change of address needs, suspension requirement letters, insurance suspension letters, MVR reports (driving records), temporary plates and title transfers. Also offers notary services.
Upper St. Clair Public Works is a local government department with offices on McLaughlin Run Road, across from the township's three-hole golf course. The department is responsible for the management and supervision of all activities relating to streets and trash collection, including storm sewers, sanitary sewers, leaf waste collection, parks and facility maintenance, building maintenance and forestry. In addition, the department is on call for any emergency such as sewer backups, storm debris on streets, flooding, landslides and snow and ice efforts including salting and plowing. The department is also responsible for the implementation of snow and ice removal contracts and general road maintenance contracts with both PennDOT and the Upper St. Clair School District.
