The Pittsburgh Parks Conservancy officially opened its Outdoor Discovery Space and Sensory Nature Trail at Frick Park Thursday and announced a $1 million grant that will support renovation of the Frick Environmental Center’s amphitheater.
Leaders called the work a “transformative new experience that reimagines what it means for a public park to be truly accessible, inclusive and enriching for all” in a news release. The Audrey Hillman Fisher Foundation grant is an investment in the conservancy’s continued commitment to accessibility that will enable hiring the first full-time accessibility coordinator at the center, it stated.
Nestled beside the Frick Environmental Center the new space — designed by Pashek+MTR, the project’s landscape architect and lead — includes the new discovery area and a fully accessible one-third-mile trail that winds through woodland. Along the trail, visitors will find a series of stations, each intentionally crafted to engage the senses and celebrate the healing power of nature, according to the release. Eisler Landscapes served as the project’s general contractor.
“This is more than just a new project … It’s a model for what the future of our parks can be,” conservancy President and CEO Catherine Qureshi said in the release. “It’s a place where everyone, regardless of ability or background, can experience the joy of discovery and the peace that comes from time outdoors.”
The gift from the Audrey Hillman Fisher Foundation will allow for a number of accessibility-related upgrades to the center’s amphitheater, according to the release, including new lighting, ADA-compliant pathways and performance spaces, and shade structures.
“For nearly a century Frick Park has connected people to the beauty and serenity of nature in the heart of the city,” Audrey Hillman Fisher, foundation president, said in the release. “The Pittsburgh Parks Conservancy is mapping out the future of Frick Park to ensure it remains an essential and welcoming way for new generations to be uplifted by the wonder of our natural environment.”
Construction work on the amphitheater is expected to begin in 2026.
“This contribution is about what comes next,” Qureshi said in the release. “It’s about ensuring that the promise of accessibility isn’t a one-time effort — It’s part of how we grow, lead and serve the community.”
Park visitors joined invited individuals who participated in the community engagement process of the project, along with funders, corporate partners and elected officials at Thursday’s opening.
Throughout the Outdoor Discovery Space visitors can stop at the Meadow View Pavilion to see butterflies, birds and pollinators at work and the Meadow Kaleidoscope, where native plants and mirrors have been combined to create swirling, natural patterns. Other additions include the Discovery Pavilion and the Timber Fort.
The Sensory Nature Trail offers an entirely new way to interact with the environment, the release stated, centering on stillness, observation and presence. It includes the Rest Nest, Pebble Harp, Sit Spot and Observation Deck, and Whisper Tubes.
Each stop along the trail includes QR codes with prompts and information, according to the release.
The nonprofit also introduced an expansive Lending Library at the center, offering free day-use items designed to enhance visitors’ experiences along the Sensory Nature Trail and throughout Frick Park. Available during the Frick Education Center’s daily operating hours from 10 a.m. to 4 p.m., the collection includes a variety of assistive tools, sensory resources and exploration gear, according to the release. All items are free to borrow for the day and are available to all park visitors.
In addition to support from the City of Pittsburgh’s Parks Tax Trust Fund, project key funding came from the Edith L. Trees Charitable Trust, Clearview Federal Credit Union, Leslie Fleischner, Fleischner Family Charitable Foundation, FISA Foundation, Massey Charitable Trust, Robert and Mary Weisbrod Foundation, Pittsburgh Penguins Foundation, Sheetz, and Carole and Jerry Katz.
“This space simply wouldn’t exist without these generous partners,” Qureshi said in the release. “They understood the vision and helped make it a reality— not just for today but for future generations.”
To learn more about the Outdoor Discovery Space and Sensory Nature Trail, visit pittsburghparks.org/odssnt.
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