A Visit to... Beechview's Healthy Active Living Center
Pittsburgh's Parks, Playgrounds, and Trails
Since I started exploring Pittsburgh’s 176 parks, playgrounds, and greenways last year, I’ve enjoyed discovering the similarities and differences of the City’s Healthy Active Living Centers (HAL). The Beechview HAL was an especially pleasant surprise, as it’s situated in the heart of the neighborhood’s business corridor in a beautifully refurbished brick building.
Every HAL offers programming tailored to the needs of its membership, and it’s clear that folks here want an active lifestyle! Line dancing, yoga, tai chi, and chair exercise sessions are offered throughout the week in addition to other educational activities. The emphasis on physical conditioning shouldn’t come as a surprise, as Beechview has the steepest streets in the City, and it’s almost impossible to avoid them! While a standard street map shows a neat and orderly grid, the reality is that it’s a place of sharp elevation changes and many Belgian block and red brick streets. Fascinating, charming, and challenging.
Broadway Avenue navigates along the crest of one of the City’s highest points. Fortunately, this is also the main thoroughfare of the T’s Red Line, which runs between South Hills Village and the North Side. The Hampshire stop is only a few steps away from the Center’s entrance, making the Beechview HAL a public transit-friendly option for all Allegheny County residents ages 60+.
Now, if only the coffee shop next door would re-open, this section of the neighborhood would be complete. Being properly caffeinated, along with having strong legs and sufficient lung capacity, goes a long way in successfully traversing Beechview!
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