Frequently Asked Questions

Most park shelters are available to rent online. Certain park shelters may not be available to rent if they are closed for maintenance or an open space that is not rented. Many of our shelters are open from the last Saturday of April through the 1st Sunday of October (weather permitting), while others are open year-round. Park shelters, the Mt. Washington Overlooks, and Mellon Park Walled Garden can be reserved up to 365 days in advance. Please note that park shelter reservations can be made at midnight, or shortly after, 365 days in advance, but there may be up to a 3-hour delay (until up to 3AM) making a reservation online, due to the City's software vendor's database processing system. The City's vendor is continuing to optimize batching system performance. However, if you experience any issues, please email dpwfields&parkshelters@pittsburghpa.gov. A facilities list can be viewed here. To view DPW facilities, select “Overlook,” “Park Shelter,” and “Walled Garden” (see screenshot below):

To reserve the Mt. Washington Overlooks or the Mellon Park Walled Garden, please email the Public Works Office: dpwfields&parkshelters@pittsburghpa.gov (preferred) or call 412-742-3413. The Amenities in Facilities and Shelters Page can also be found here(PDF, 242KB). You can also view DPW athletic facilities by selecting “Athletic Field,” “Basketball Court,” “Cycle/Bike Track,” “Dek Hockey Court,” “Track,” and “Volleyball Court.” However, to reserve a field or a court, all applicants must first submit an online application form here. You can also visit the field/court permitting website.

At this time, in additional to online reservations, phone or person reservations will be done by appointment only. Please email dpwfields&parkshelters@pittsburghpa.gov to setup an appointment. Our office is located at 412 Blvd. Of the Allies, Pittsburgh, PA 15219. If your appointment is in person, you will enter the main entrance and make a right past the security desk to get to the permitting counter.

All customers will be required to set up a new account for online booking. Step-by-step instructions can be found here(PDF, 616KB). If you believe you already have an account, simply click “Sign In” and follow prompts.

For online rentals, available payment methods include credit or debit transactions using Visa, MasterCard, or Discover. Those paying with a credit or debit card will incur a non-refundable 2.35% + $0.25 service fee. These fees are charged by the City’s payment processor, Global Payments, for all transactions. Payment instructions for manual in-house reservations can also be found on our website via the Online Payment Guide here(PDF, 897KB). All permit holders will be required to sign forms within their customer account.

For those paying in person at the Department of Public Works Permit Office, the City will also accept money orders and business checks in addition to the payment options listed above for online transactions. Checks/money orders should be made out to “Treasurer, City of Pittsburgh.” If you are mailing a payment, please send it to “DPW Permits Office, 412 Blvd. Of the Allies, Pittsburgh, PA 15219.” Please note that the service fees for credit/debit cards apply for those renting at the Permits Office as well as those renting online. Cash will not be accepted.

The City of Pittsburgh contracts with Global Payments to provide the convenience of credit and debit transactions for a variety of City services. These fees are charged by Global Payments as part of processing payments on behalf of the City. In addition, the City still accepts money orders and business checks if rentals are made at the Public Works Permits Office. Checks/money orders should be written out to “Treasurer, City of Pittsburgh.”

Citizens who wish to rent a shelter online will first need to navigate to https://pittsburgh.recdesk.com/Community/Home and create a new account. Park shelters, the Mt. Washington Overlooks, and Mellon Park Walled Garden can be reserved up to 365 days in advance, and no less than 11 days prior to rental date. Please note that park shelter reservations can be made at midnight, or shortly after, 365 days in advance, but there may be up to a 3-hour delay (until up to 3AM) making a reservation online, due to the City's software vendor's database processing system. Seasonal shelters (all permittable shelters except our year-round shelters, including Banksville Park Shelter, Olympia Park Shelter House-Indoor, and West End Elliott Overlook) are generally available to reserve beginning the last Saturday of April, through the second Sunday of October. Once a new account has been created, users can search for available facilities by using the online calendar here and filtering by facility. A light green box will show with which facilities are already reserved.

You can also navigate availability on the facilities page here, by clicking the light green “Reserve” button for desired facility, and viewing the dark green boxes that show “Reserve” with dates available.

Most shelter permits are valid from 11:00 AM – 9:00 PM on the day of your event. Please note that some weekday rentals are valid only from 1:00 PM – 9:00 PM to accommodate CitiParks programming in certain locations. If you need time to prepare for your event, please plan accordingly since access to the shelter prior to the start date and time specified is non-negotiable. Similarly, the facility must be cleaned and vacated prior to the 9:00 PM end time. Please also shut off lights at the end of rental at indoor shelters.

The shelter will be cleaned and unlocked by 11:00 AM, the start of the permit time. Early access to shelters will not be permitted.

All rentals are for the standard time period. Public Works schedules park employees to clean shelters to ensure they are ready for all rentals at the designated start time. However, we are only able to accommodate one rental for each shelter on a given day. As a result, the full permit fee applies regardless of whether you will be using the shelter for the full time period or only for a portion of the day.

*As of early 2019, all shelter fees include an alcohol permit. No additional payment or permit is needed. Please note while alcohol consumption is permitted, alcohol sales are prohibited without proper permitting. If you have any questions, please contact our office.

Through your household account dashboard, you can review reservation details by clicking the “History” tab and then navigating to the “Reservations” tab, as seen in the screenshot below. The “Registration Confirmation and Payment Receipt from City of Pittsburgh” email you received from noreply@recdesk.com serves as a copy of the reservation/permit that can be printed.

Park shelters, the Mellon Park Walled Garden, and the Mt. Washington Overlooks are available for rent up to 365 days in advance on a rolling basis. All rentals are available on a first-come, first-served basis. Facility rentals must be completed at least eleven (11) days before your selected date; after this time, the facility will no longer be available to rent or request online.

The City will provide a refund if we receive cancellation a written notice (email preferred) at least thirty (30) days in advance of your permitted date. In these instances, the City retains a 2.35% + $0.25 service fee, but will refund all other fees associated with the rental. Once it is less than 30 days until your permitted date, we are unable to refund or transfer your permit to a new location or date. No permit fee shall be returned and no changes shall be made unless DPW receives a dated email or written request of cancellation or changes at least thirty (30) days prior to the date of the permit- weather is not considered a valid reason for cancellation or change of shelter/date location. The body of notice email should include permit holder account, name payment is under, permit number, and location/reservation date. By placing a reservation under 30 days away, the permit holder understands their reservation will not be refunded or modified in any manner. Any rentals made in 30 days or less are not subject to any refunds or transfer requests. Cancellations requested due to illness/bereavement will be permitted to choose another facility rental date within 365 days. The newly selected date is subject to the 30 day cancellation policy. Additional cancellations made to newly selected dates within 365 days due to illness/bereavement will not be given this exception.

A paid reservation entitles the permit holder to use the shelter and the grounds identified in the permit. If additional activities are planned (i.e.: inflatable bounce house, tent, etc.) the permit holder must provide a Certificate of Liability Insurance naming the City of Pittsburgh Department of Public Works as an additional insured. Please click here to see a sample certificate of insurance(PDF, 947KB).

Much of the information a permit holder needs to know is within the permit received. However, if you have additional questions or concerns, please email dpwfields&parkshelters@pittsburghpa.gov during our normal office hours Monday – Friday, 7AM – 3PM. To view amenities at facilities and shelters, please visit the “Amenities in Facilities and Shelters” PDF located on the RecDesk Announcements &News Website. It is also linked directly here in facility amenities spreadsheet(PDF, 242KB) (zoom to 100% recommended).

Unlike the process for renting park shelters, the City needs to first ensure that staff is available at the selected senior or recreation center facility before confirming that a permit can be issued for a particular date and time. To request a City Senior or Recreation Center rental, please contact the center directly or ask to speak to the center director. Phone numbers for Recreation and Senior Centers can be found using the following links:

• Recreation Centers
• Senior Centers

City Senior Center and Recreation Center rental requests may be submitted up to 90 days in advance of your selected date. Rental requests should be submitted at least 14 days in advance of your selected day.