New Play Field Lights Up Hazelwood Community

Pittsburgh’s Hazelwood Green area just got a fresh sports venue that will keep kids active for years. A big ribbon‑cutting ceremony brought together NFL boss Roger Goodell, Steelers president Art Rooney II, coach Mike McCarthy and future draft picks. They played on the field with local youth and Special Olympics athletes, showing how the space will serve many groups. The project started when residents asked for a place that welcomes everyone. Hazelwood Initiative chief Sonya Tilghman said the community’s ideas guided every step, making the field feel “truly like it has community as its heart. ” She joined officials in cutting a ribbon under black and gold balloons while Wiz Khalifa’s “Black and Yellow” played. Rooney, who can see the new site from his office, praised turning a long‑unused brownfield into an active area. He noted the field will host football, soccer and other sports, plus neighborhood events. Funding came from a $10. 8 million grant by the Richard King Mellon Foundation, with partners Tishman Speyer, Hazelwood Green Youth Sports Charities and Steelers Charities. The field will be called the U. S. Steel Community Field at Hazelwood Green.Hazelwood Green is a 178‑acre redevelopment spot by the Monongahela River. It already houses Carnegie Mellon’s Robotics Innovation Center and the University of Pittsburgh’s BioForge, plus new mixed‑income homes. U. S. Steel CEO David Burritt said the project writes a “new chapter” for Pittsburgh’s rebuilding spirit. Local teams like the Central Catholic Vikings and Hazelwood Cobras will use the field. Allegheny County Executive Sara Innamorato highlighted how it meets a real need for youth growth and community gathering. Mayor Corey O’Connor called the field “an exciting week” for everyone. Goodell linked the field’s opening to the upcoming NFL Draft in Point State Park and the North Shore, saying sports teach valuable lessons. He added that celebrating Pittsburgh means celebrating people of all ages. The Richard King Mellon Foundation director Sam Reiman noted the field will boost kids’ mental and physical health, teaching resilience. He jokingly predicted that a future Steelers player might come from this very field in ten years.