| Frick Park | |
|---|---|
| Type | Municipal Park |
| Location | Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania |
| Area | 561 acres (2.27 km2) |
| Created | 1919 |
| Operated by | City of Pittsburgh Citiparks |
| Website | www.pittsburghparks.org/frick |
Frick Park is the largest municipal park in Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania, covering 561 acres (2.27 km2).
The park began when Henry Clay Frick, upon his death in 1919, bequeathed 380 acres (1.5 km2) south of Clayton, his Point Breeze mansion (which is now part of the Frick Art & Historical Center). He also arranged for a $2 million trust fund for long-term maintenance for the park, which opened on June 25, 1927. The park was enlarged from Point Breeze into Squirrel Hill to the border of Edgewood.
In the section of the park located near the corner of Beechwood Boulevard and Nicholson Street, there is a playground with a long blue slide going down a steep hill and that playground is therefore known colloqually as the blue slide park. Pittsburgh rapper Mac Miller's album Blue Slide Park is named for this playground.
Sledding on this hill is a very popular winter pastime for many people who live nearby. The hill's long, sloping bowl ends in a grouping of trees. Two different approaches down the hill - one shallow and one steep - intersect at the bottom, often resulting in collisions between sledders. Crashing into trees is also a frequent occurrence. As a result, ambulances are often called to this area of the park.[1]