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Jun 23, 2009 7:01 pm US/Eastern
More Ideas Pitched For G-20 Summit At RMU
MOON TWP. (KDKA) ―
About 150 people gathered at Robert Morris University in Moon Township for the second of three brain-storming sessions on how to prepare Pittsburgh for the G-20 Summit in September.
The top official was Allegheny County executive Dan Onorato who credits this region's people for attracting world leaders to Pittsburgh.
"This didn't happen because of anything I did or anything the mayor did. I truly believe this is really 40 years in the making," he said.
Onorato said the resiliency of this area to come back from tough times made Pittsburgh a good example for the world -- and pitching Pittsburgh to the world was the theme of many of the comments.
Martin Burger: "A working event where all the companies in the area could perhaps have booths."
Tom Buell: "We also think that even greater value can come after the summit in following-up and building on this great publicity."
Co-hosted by the Airport Area Chamber of Commerce, some of the 44 suggestions made sounded similar to those made last week at the first brain storming meeting.
Cliff Rooter: "I think it would be great if we could have at the top of Mt. Washington a row of all the countries' flags."
Eric Ash: "People that are worried about coming in, maybe it's a day that you offer work hours off site to a community service project in one of the city parks."
And there were plenty of new ideas, too.
Bernie Pizzola: "I think we should be involving the churches in sponsoring some kind of inter-denominational service prior to the event, to pray not only for the success of the event but also the safety of the people that are here."
Roland Mick: "My idea of a possible symbol is a lightning bolt that embodies the power of Pittsburgh."
Laurie Mann: "The rooftop deck on the convention center is one of the hidden treasures of Pittsburgh, and it's amazing how few people have ever been up there, and I hope that you'll do some kind of lovely event up there."
Debbie Hofstettler: "I'd like to see a 20-day build-up to the G-20, each day featuring one country."
Many were enthusiastic like this woman proposing a video promo for the city with a Wizard of Oz theme.
Trina Gennara: "We're going through the Fort Pitt Tunnel. High speed video, and now the emcee says, 'Fasten your seat belts folks because this isn't your mom and dad's Pittsburgh.' And now the wizard of Oz -- we're out of the dark, we're out of the night, we're under the light -- open, open, we come out of the big tunnel -- and there's colorful Pittsburgh -- and captioned -- the new emerald city, the green city."
But some participants have concerns that need to be addressed before world leaders get here -- like the Parkway West and downtown traffic congestion.
Penny Gilden Yunker: "I don't know what kind of transportation we're going to make available to these folks, especially the media. They will crucify us if they cannot get into the city."
Joseph D'Andrea: "The corridor from the airport downtown which I do almost every day -- yah, yah, yah, looks like a desert, Kuwait -- lack of trees, lack of vegetation, strip hills. Let's put some plants by September."
And here's another problem -- the incredible approach to downtown through the Fort Pitt Tunnel -- when you emerge at the other end -- it is an emerald city -- until you go down the ramp into Pittsburgh to be greeted by the steel hull of an stalemated addition to the Hilton Hotel.
Onorato says that won't detract from the summit.
"Absolutely, it's an eyesore. But the frontage of the Hilton Hotel, we'll deal with that issue. But one particular building right now is not going to make or break this summit."
(© MMIX, CBS Broadcasting Inc. All Rights Reserved.)
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