BNY Mellon Green Still Fenced Off After Occupation

PITTSBURG (KDKA) – Occupy Pittsburgh moved out of BNY Mellon Green months ago, but the park is still fenced off and there's no timeline for when it will look the way it used to.

"Not so pretty," is how one passerby described the space. Another said, "It's horrible."

For 118 days Occupy Pittsburgh camped out in the space and left behind a few tents, garbage and plenty of mud.

There was an effort to get rid of rats after the protestors moved out, and the tents and garbage were taken away. Although it appears there are pieces of cardboard that remain in the dirt.

As for restoring the park, BNY Mellon spokesperson Ron Gruendl says: "We are in the process of determining the extent of repairs that will be necessary on BNY Mellon Green since there was extensive damage done to the property."

"Since this process will take some time, we do not have a time line for the repairs and eventual reopening of BNY Mellon Green."

He says they have to figure out how much damage was done to the sprinkler system and replace the top four to six inches of dirt that was so compacted nothing will grow in it.

People we talked to miss the beautiful park it used to be.

While there are beautiful tulips and tree blossoms in the park now, a metal fence with no trespassing signs surrounds the site. Grass remains sparse.

A spokesperson says crews actually planted the tulips while the Occupy Movement was going on.

RELATED LINKS
More Local News
More Reports By David Highfield