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WHEREAS, Growth Through Energy and Community Health (GTECH) Strategies was founded in 2007 by two Carnegie Mellon University graduate students who were studying ways to reimagine Pittsburgh's 27,000 vacant lots; and,
WHEREAS, enlisting the help of classmates, the two founders farmed a six-acre portion of a rugged brownfield lot in Hazelwood and planted sunflowers to extract toxins from the soil and create a source of biofuel for the community, and through this project's success, GTECH Strategies was born; and,
WHEREAS, one decade later, GTECH's 14 employees work with residents, volunteers, partner organizations, and policymakers to repurpose vacant lots, eradicate blight, and transform communities throughout the Pittsburgh region; and,
WHEREAS, the organization strives to improve the social, economic and environmental health of the whole community by ensuring underutilized land serves the greater good and achieves this mission through data analysis, community planning, and capacity building; and,
WHEREAS, this mission is embodied through the successful Ambassador program through which wiling and enthusiastic neighborhood leaders are provided the training and funding necessary to transform dilapidated lots into community assets; and,
WHEREAS, GTECH's Green Places initiative empowers young Pittsburghers to create safe spaces to learn and play in their own communities; and,
WHEREAS, in partnership with the City of Pittsburgh and the Pittsburgh Greenspace Alliance, GTECH launched Lots to Love, a toolkit for residents and community organizations to beautify vacant lots in their neighborhood; and,
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NOW, THEREFORE BE IT RESOLVED, that the Council of the City of Pittsburgh does hereby recognize GTECH Strategies for a successful decade of reimagining vacant lots, transforming neighborhoods, and helping to build a more resilient Pittsburgh; and,
BE IT FURTHER RESOLVED, that the Council of City of Pittsburgh does hereby declare Saturday, April 22nd ...
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