Pittsburgh 250: BILL FLANAGAN
Bill Flanagan is Executive Vice President—Corporate Relations for the Allegheny Conference on Community Development and its affiliated regional development organizations: The Pennsylvania Economy League of Southwestern Pennsylvania LLC, the Pittsburgh Regional Alliance and the Greater Pittsburgh Chamber of Commerce. Through 2008 he is serving as Executive Director of Pittsburgh 250, the celebration of the 250th anniversary of the naming of Pittsburgh.
Bill supervises Investor Relations activities for the Conference and Affiliates, including fundraising, membership services and educational programming. He oversees organizational communications. In this role, Bill also hosts “Our Region’s Business” on WPXI-TV, WJAC-TV, WTOV-TV and the Pittsburgh Cable News Channel (PCNC), a program the Conference produces in partnership with Cox Television.
Prior to joining the Conference in September 2001, Bill had covered the economy of southwestern Pennsylvania for more than 13 years as Money Editor of KDKA-TV, where he was Pittsburgh’s only broadcast reporter devoted exclusively to business and personal finance, and where he hosted “The Sunday Business Page.” Bill came to the region in 1982 as a general assignment reporter for the television station. He also has written about personal finance for The Pittsburgh Post-Gazette and KDKA-AM.
A graduate of Northwestern University (B.S. Speech), Bill has a Master’s Degree in Journalism from the University of Missouri-Columbia. He is a native of Dover, Delaware.
Bill and his wife, Ann Devlin Flanagan, have two children, Mara and Will.
Pittsburgh 250 is the celebration of the 250th anniversary of the naming of Pittsburgh at the culmination of the Forbes Campaign of 1758.
Pivotal moment of French and Indian War in which England secured the Forks of the Ohio (today’s Pittsburgh) and pretty much assured that people would speak English all the way to the Rocky Mountains.
Celebration of colonial history and everything that has come sense, Pittsburgh as the Gateway to the West, Crucible of the Industrial Revolution, Renaissance City and today, Most Livable for the second time.
The theme of the celebration is “Pittsburgh: Imagine what you can do here,” emphasizing 250-years of world changing history, with everything from the banana split and Big Mac to the polio vaccine and “Boss”, the robot that won DARPA’s Grand Urban Challenge last year.
The celebration is organized into three signature projects, three signature events and three grassroots initiatives. These are built on a “trails to Pittsburgh” concept, based on George Washington’s original trails to Pittsburgh.
Projects:
Transformation of Point State Park – biggest investment in a state park in PA history.
Publication of “Pennsylvania’s Forbes Trail: Gateways and Getaways Along the Legendary Route from Philadelphia to Pittsburgh,” a new driving guide that encourages people to explore Pennsylvania from east to west.
Completion of the Great Allegheny Passage, a continuous biking and hiking trail from WDC to Pittsburgh, the most accessible great trail experience in the world.
Events (all of which focus one way or another on Point State Park):
American Eagle Outfitters Tour of Pennsylvania Presented by Highmark Healthy High Five, a six-day, 420 mile professional cycling stage race showcasing the best young riders in the world (under 25) in a marathon journey across Pennsylvania, following the Forbes Trail. (June 24-29)
PNC Legacy Trail Ride Celebrating the Great Allegheny Passage, a community bike ride featuring a 24-hour relay from WDC to Pittsburgh and a family-friendly ride along the newly completed portion of the trail. (September 27-October 4).
Pittsburgh Celebrates 250, a two month birthday party featuring the Pittsburgh 250 Festival of Lights, an unprecedented lineup of national and world premieres in art and culture beginning October 4 and lasting through November 30.
Grassroots Initiatives:
Community Connections: Pittsburgh 250 raised $1 million to fund 100 community projects and programs that celebrates pride and progress in 14 counties of Southwestern Pennsylvania. Projects are ongoing through the year.
Reunion 2008: Spearheaded by VisitPittsburgh, this initiative encouraged individuals and organizations to schedule family reunions, business meetings, conferences and conventions that would bring people home and bring people to the region for the first time. More than 70 meetings have been scheduled, including the International Womens Forum, the National Tour Operators and the American Chamber of Commerce Executives. This initiative is expected to draw tens of thousands of additional visitors to the region this year.
250 and Fit: An effort, closely coordinated with the Trail Ride, to encourage 250,000 residents to engage in a more active, outdoor lifestyle.
Point State Park Blossoms Springing toward completion is the renovation of downtown Pittsburgh’s centerpiece, Point State Park. One of the three Signature Projects of Pittsburgh 250, it is undergoing a multi-phased series of improvements that will enhance the beauty, accessibility and historic interpretation of the park, as well as upgrade its infrastructure. Several events – including the American Eagle Outfitters® Tour of Pennsylvania presented by Highmark Healthy High 5®PNC Legacy Trail Ride in October and Pittsburgh Celebrates 250: A Festival of Lights and Music, which runs October through November – celebrate the transformation of this landmark project.
DCNR- RANGER SUPERVISOR, Rich Carson-
MORAINE/ McCONNELLS MILLS STATE PARKS – BEGAN his CAREER FOR STATE PARKS IN 1977 AS A SECURITY OFFICER. SLIPPERY Rock COLLEGE GRADUATE IN -RECREATION RESOURcE, ADMINISTRATION. CRIMINAL JUSTICE DEGREE FROM I.U.P. ---CURRENTLY A DCNR INSTRUCTOR IN FIREARMS, PR 24- BATON- OC PEPPER SPRAY, WATER RESCUE, ICE RESCUE, AND EMERGENCY BOAT OPERATIONS .ALSO SEARCH AND RESCUE MANGER FOR THE BUREAU OF STATE PARKS. MAJOR DUTIES - PARK VISITORS COMPLAINCE TO PARK RULES AND REGULATIONS, FISHING& BOATING REGS., HUNTING & WILDLIFE REGS. ALSO PROVIDES PARK PRESENTATIONS AND PROVIDES VISITOR SAFTEY INFORMATION.
Major Lake Arthur—Bass Fishing premier
CONTACT HEATHER AT MPF--724-368-9185 FOR THE BOAT, OSPREY, AND BARN OWL PROGRAMS. AS REQUESTED—
MORAINE STATE PARK DEDICATED MAY 23, 1970- THIRD LARGEST IN SIZE- 16,725 ACRES---
Statistics
ATTENDENCE- OVER 1.2 MILLION PARK VISITORS PER YEAR –
6 th PLACE FOR VISITORS WITHIN THE 117 STATE PARKS IN PA.
LAKE ARTHUR- 3,225 ACRES-
FISHING FOR BASS , CRAPPIE, PERCH, BLUE GILL, CATFISH, PIKE, MUSKIE,WALLEYE,AND HYBRID STRIPED BASS.
BOATING- 20HP. LIMIT-
SAILBOATS, ROWBOATS, CANOES, KAYAKS, MOTORBOATS, AND PONTOON BOATS. RENTALS AVAIL. –
10 PUBLIC BOAT LAUNCH SITES.
7 MILE PAVED BIKE TRAIL& 6 MILE MOUNTAIN BIKE TRAIL.
18 HOLE FLYING DISK COURSE,
TWO SWIMMING BEACHES,
6 HIKING TRAILS, 20
MILES- EQUESTRIAN TRAILS,
11 MODERN CABINS RENTED YEAR AROUND.
WINTER ACTIVITIES--ICE FISHING, SKATING, ICEBOATING, SLEDDING, CROSS-COUNTRY SKIING AND OVER 26 MILES OF SNOWMOBILE TRAILS.
McCONNELLS MILL--2546 ACRES- 7 MILES WEST OF MORAINE, GRIST MILL,COVERED BRIDGE,
CLIMBING AND RAPPELLING,
SLIPPERY ROCK CREEK- TROUT FISHING,
CLELAND ROCK SENIC VISTA,
S.R. GORGE NATURAL AREA,
OVER 11MILES HIKING TRAILS.
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