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Resident group asks city to support restoration of Panther Hollow Lake; community event planned
Summary
An Oakland-based group requested city support for restoring Panther Hollow Lake, citing sediment buildup, water-quality decline and invasive species; organizers plan a community restoration event April 6 and seek municipal partnership for longer-term remediation.
Alexander Massip, speaking for an academic and community group from Oakland, urged City Council during public comment on March 25 to support work to restore Panther Hollow Lake, which he described as an important recreational and ecological resource for the neighborhood.
Massip said sediment accumulation has reduced the lake’s depth by about 10 feet and that the waterbody now experiences algal blooms, invasive plants and elevated E. coli levels. He said community members and local researchers have organized volunteer stewardship and a planned event with Pittsburgh Parks Conservancy on April 6 to replace invasive plants with native, sediment-capturing species, and requested city support for next steps.
"We are here to ask, will you stand with us? Will you help bring this vision to life?" Massip said, according to his remarks to council.
City staff were not recorded as responding during the public-comment segment; the speaker asked for the Council’s partnership to pursue water-quality improvements, sustainable stormwater management and better community access to the lake.
Ending: Massip said the April 6 event at Schenley Park’s Shadyside Visitor Center (time given in his remarks) is the first step and that longer-term restoration would require city coordination, technical support and funding assistance.
