Elephant Move

Two African elephants from the Philadelphia Zoo will be coming to the Pittsburgh Zoo's International Conservation Center next month. Pittsburgh Zoo spokeswoman Connie George says the ICC in Somerset County is an excellent home for them, and they will be staying there for the foreseeable future. A professional elephant mover who has plenty of experience will be hauling the pachyderms, and they will in the vehicle wearing an accommodating seat belt. George says the Pittsburgh Zoo has been easing the elephants through the move, with zookeepers going to Philadelphia, and once the move takes place after the July 4 weekend, Philadelphia zookeepers will be coming to the ICC.

Pittsburgh increases cycling rank

In the annual American Community Survey, Pittsburgh ranked in the 11th cities in the country in 2007 for the percentage of city residents that commute by bike. The percentage went up from .8 percent in 2006 to 1.1 percent in 2007.

Scott Bricker, Executive Director of Bike Pittsburgh, thinks there are many reasons why more locals have been commuting by bike. These reasons include saving in gas money, being healthier and more green conscious, and easy commuting through Pittsburgh's dense neighborhoods. Bricker adds that bikes are also very stylish. "Bikes are the new black," he says.

Bricker says with Mayor Ravenstahl's biking initiatives to create more biking lanes and to place bike racks in the city will also bring increase rates in the future. With the mayor's initiatives and more investments, Bricker hopes for Pittsburgh to be a Top 5 biking city in the future.

According to the same survey, Pittsburgh remained in second place next to Boston with 12 percent of locals commuting by foot. Walking commuters also include people who use transit, because they technically walk for parts of their commute.

Cycling to the Office: Friday Is National Ride Your Bike To Work Day

Monday kicked off National Bike to Work Week and tomorrow concludes the week with National Ride Your Bike To Work Day. The event is sponsored locally by Bike Pittsburgh. The day encourages commuters to take a break from firing up their car engines, hop on their bikes and pedal to work instead. Executive Director of Bike Pittsburgh Scott Bricker says he hopes the day will convince more people to bike to work regularly. Bricker also says that participation is often weather dependant and that biking to work is a great way to save money with rising gas prices and protect the environment. Bike Pittsburgh offers a comprehensive bike route map on their website that displays the safest, most convenient bike routes the city has to offer. About 1 percent of Pittsburghers--twice the national average--bike to work.


Some things to remember if you're planning on riding your bike to work:
--take 15 minutes and perform a quick inspection of your bike if you haven't rode for a while
--wear a helmet
--dress for the weather
--bring a change of clothes for work
--plan your route ahead of time

Venture Outdoors Festival Set to Kickoff Saturday

The 8th annual Venture Outdoors Festival will kickoff at 11:00 a.m. Saturday at Washington's Landing lasting until6:00 p.m. The event returns to Washington's Landing this year due to heavy construction and development on the North Shore. The festival has grown in popularity over the past years. Assistant Executive Director for Venture Outdoors Sean Brady says last year the event hosted about 8,000 people. The festival is a showcase of outdoor activities available in the region including kayaking, fishing, mountain biking, and a climbable rock wall. The event is open to all ages and skill levels. Brady says the objective is to introduce a variety of outdoor activities to people and to inspire them to participate in outdoor activities regularly. Over 100 different clubs and organizations will have exhibits and booths. The festival is free to participants and is the premiere event of Great Outdoors Week marking the beginning of the outdoor activity summer season.

Mayor Accepts 1.35 Million Dollar Grant

Today, Pittsburgh Mayor Luke Ravenstahl accepted a $1.35 million grant from the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service that is designated for the construction of a dock at the planned south shore riverfront park. The grant was made through the Boating Infrastructure Grant program. The project is located between 25Th street and 29Th street in the south side with construction expected to start this summer. The $10.5 million project has received funding from various groups but still needs to raise $2.5 million dollars for the project to reach completion.