Walkabout: South Siders want welcome mat out for coming cyclists [Pittsburgh Post Gazette]
When the last mile of the Great Allegheny Passage opens this summer, bicyclists will have an unbroken trail between Washington, D.C., and Pittsburgh.
Odds are the connection now under construction between Homestead and the South Side will bring an increasing stream of visitors from all points east into the city.
A promotional effort called Trail Town South Side Pittsburgh formed in January when Jonathan Growall, a real estate agent, teamed with Kim Collins, president of the South Side Chamber of Commerce, in planning to enhance the experiences of cycling tourists and help South Side businesses reap economic rewards.
This is a big opportunity for the South Side to nurture a daytime economy that has long been overshadowed by weekend drinking revelries, which some stakeholders think have brought the neighborhood to or near the tipping point.
"I have nothing against the nighttime economy, but we're more than that," Mr. Growall said. "I want to help people who come here for a day [to] experience the city I have experienced."
Mr. Growall grew up in Pittsburgh, left and came back 10 years ago. He settled on the South Side in part because proximity to the trail gave him quick and safe access to everywhere he wanted to go as a practical cyclist.
Read more: http://www.post-gazette.com/stories/local/morning-file/walkabout-south-siders-want-welcome-mat-out-for-coming-cyclists-673458/#ixzz2KB2ySLdp
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