About the Southwestern PA Scenic Awards

Beginning in August of 2019, Scenic Pittsburgh created the Southwestern PA Scenic Awards program to recognize excellence in preservation, enhancement, and promotion of scenic resources in the region. We hope that the example provided by the award winners can help other communities in making the most of their own scenic resources – and keeping southwestern Pennsylvania unique and beautiful for us all.

Nominations

To nominate a community, group or individual for a Scenic Award, click a category below.

• The community must be in our 10-county service area: Allegheny, Armstrong, Butler, Beaver, Fayette, Greene, Indiana, Lawrence, Washington, and Westmoreland counties.
• The group or individual must also live or work in our 10-county service area.

Award for Community Scenic Achievement
Given to a southwestern Pennsylvania community that has demonstrated a consistent, long-term, and visionary commitment to protecting and promoting their scenic resources.

Award for Scenic Conservation
Given to a business, nonprofit or government group or groups based in southwestern Pennsylvania who have demonstrated a consistent, long-term, and visionary commitment to protecting and promoting the region’s scenic resources.

Scenic Steward Recognition Award
Given to an individual who lives and works in the southwestern Pennsylvania region who has shown a consistent and visionary commitment to protecting and promoting the region’s scenic resources.

The City of Connellsville – Our First Award Recipient

The recipient of our very first Scenic Award was the city of Connellsville, PA which received the Award for Community Scenic Achievement during a ceremony on October 16, 2019 at the Connellsville Canteen on West Crawford Avenue.

 Three Scenic Awards in 2021

On Thursday, September 23, 2021 we presented the Award for Scenic Conservation to Indovina Associates Architects at the Pittsburgh Highline. We welcomed a number of prominent Pittsburghers, including Allegheny County Executive Rich Fitzgerald, PA Rep. Emily Kinkead, and former Pittsburgh Mayor Tom Murphy.

On Saturday, November 6, 2021 we presented the Award for Community Scenic Achievement to The City of Ligonier at 12:30 p.m. in the Diamond in the center of downtown. It was a gorgeous day so the entire event was outside, including the cake! Westmoreland County Commissioner Chew, Rep. Leslie Rossi, and Ligonier Councilman Jeff Craig spoke, and we welcomed philanthropist Sandy Mellon and many others during the reception.

On November 11, 2021 we presented an Award for Scenic Conservation to McKnight Realty for their Highline project. Their commitment to offering a unique public/private recreational and greenspace at The Highline exemplifies the kind of development and design that Scenic Pittsburgh advocates for. We hope other developers in our region will look to this project as a model for how opening up private land to the wider community creates unique spaces that can serve as enduring scenic assets.