Hannah’s sons October 2025
Hannah Wilson continues to rediscover Allegheny RiverTrail Park in each new season of her life. She first fell in love with the park back in 2018 as a bride-to-be, considering a potential riverfront wedding. Down the line, she found herself back at the park on a Friday evening, this time divorced and with her two toddlers in tow. “Taking kids anywhere alone is so hard,” says Hannah. “The park is so far off the road that I felt safe to go alone.”
Looking out over the river, sipping a drink from Trace Brewing while her boys ran and played, Hannah found something she’d been searching for. “It’s given us a tradition,” she says. “After getting divorced, I was so nervous about what my life was going to look like. Making sure my kids had a magical life even though I was so stressed was really important to me.” Now, Hannah says, “Fridays are our days. The boys know if it’s Friday after school, we’re going to the ‘park on the river’.”
Hannah lives 20 minutes from ARP, but it’s worth the drive. “You can feel the difference from other parks,” she says. “It feels like everybody knows each other – and even if they don’t, people are so friendly. I pass three or four other parks on my way to ARP, but that’s the one we go to.” At ARP, Hannah has found a place where she can thrive as a single parent and provide the childhood she wants for her kids: Playing on the tree swing, climbing the jungle gym, scootering the trails, or meeting friends on a summer Friday. “So many events are inclusive for kids and adults,” Hannah says. “That’s hard to find, and one of the biggest reasons I love going there.”
