03/03/2023
Shadyside Action Coalition Retirement:
Since the Shadyside Action Coalition (SAC) was founded in 1973, dozens of organizational leaders have worked with residents, businesses, and developers to preserve many of the treasured qualities of our neighborhood. Originally, it was a coalition of neighborhood and church groups working together to preserve and promote our community. Over the years, particularly the past 3 years, the organization (and the world we live in) has changed.
SAC shifted from a coalition of groups to having elected positions to the current structure of having a committee board structure. The number of existing dues paying members has dropped over the years, and we have not been seeing new members join.
The way people receive information and work with our local representatives has also changed drastically since SAC came into existence. When SAC first started, part of the charm and the energy of the group was to be able to meet neighbors and city officials in person and receive a newsletter letting you know what was going on in the neighborhood. As time went on, the City offices, developers, and neighbors have been able to connect in new ways no one could have anticipated back in 1973.
As we reach SAC’s 50th year, the current leadership team has realized that the focus of the group is not in synch with neighborhood expectations. This realization, along with ½ of the current leaders nearing retirement from their professional lives, and after long discussions with councilperson Strassburger, SAC as it functions today will cease to exist as of March 3, 2023.
The SAC page will remain active until May 1, 2023 as a resource for reaching key city officials. Should you be interested in working on neighborhood projects or have questions or concerns about anything happening in the neighborhood – we strongly encourage you to reach out to Erika and her
team. They are already brainstorming options for community engagement to continue, not just for development projects but for public safety as well as neighborhood celebratory activities.
The current committee members look forward to remaining active members of the Shadyside community as individuals and continuing to participate in the growth and development of our neighborhood as time permits. We appreciate the passion shown by so many residents for our neighborhood over the years and thank everyone who has been involved in the work of the organization for the past 5 decades.
