Why is there a giant steel raccoon in Millvale?

Millvale’s newest resident is a raccoon. But this trash panda stands a little taller than others that romp around the borough.

On Tuesday, Oct. 14, a 12.5-foot steel raccoon was installed in the now aptly named Rainbow Raccoon Park behind Strange Roots Experimental Ales.

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“I don’t think there’s anything quite like it really anywhere else in the city, or in other cities as well, for that matter,” says Filip Agren, the artist who created the sculpture. “It’s a really special example of what Pittsburgh can do.”

Millvale leaders have previously called Rainbow Raccoon Park the borough’s first playground and planned for raccoon-inspired architecture in the space. This past January, a Request For Proposal (RFP) was put out for the park’s eponymous fixture, according to Agren.

By February, he learned he had been selected for the $20,000 project, and hit the ground running to finalize the design, gather materials and establish partnerships. The Henry L. Hillman Foundation supported public art funding for the raccoon.

“When I saw the RFP, I immediately thought, ‘How can we do something above and beyond what they’re asking for for the community?’” Agren says.

“I wanted the raccoon to feel like it came from Pittsburgh.”

Agren’s plan involved Corten steel, a type of steel plate that is unique in that rusting is desirable; the layer of rust creates a powerful protective barrier.

“The U.S. Steel Tower Downtown is also made of Corten, so that was a little tip of the hat to Pittsburgh’s history,” he says. “It should, hopefully, last forever.”

Agren, a 2011 graduate of Carnegie Mellon University’s School of Architecture, says the project fused his formal education and other skills like 3D modeling and fabrication. 

Guests mill about Rainbow Raccoon Park during the new raccoon sculpture’s debut party on Saturday, Oct. 18. The event featured local eats and brews, and brought local vendors to the park. Photo by Roman Hladio.

He also brought together friends and colleagues in his network to ensure the project took shape — literally.

“I had some help from a friend of mine who’s a game developer … and was a classmate of mine,” Agren says. “He provided me with a 3D model of not quite a raccoon, but some kind of small animal like that, and I basically used that as a starting point to create what’s called a mesh of the raccoon design.”

Even after the design was finalized, the raccoon remained a community lift.

The nearly 5,000-pounds of steel necessary for the project — totaling about $7,000 — was donated by Neville Island-based Triad Metals. BelleFlex Technologies from Ford City donated laser cutting services for the steel, which came out to about $9,000 in labor costs.

West Penn Laco donated welding supplies, which was especially fitting since the company has a Millvale location about two blocks from the park.

“They were really happy to support the project,” Agren says.

While many play structures in Millvale’s first playground are still missing, the community celebrated the arrival of the park’s mascot with a debut party on Saturday, Oct. 18. Last summer, Millvale leaders hoped the site would become a hub for borough kids. In the time since, it’s gained a basketball court and a pump track — a type of bike riding course.

Agren says the Millvale Community Development Corporation’s (MCDC) RFP called for an interactive aspect for the raccoon. Its wide and deep stature was initially meant to serve as a prime spot for a fireplace, but in the future will instead host a bench to provide a space for the park’s young patrons to escape the heat.

A mural on a northeastern support wall denotes the park’s name: Rainbow Raccoon Park. The space was named by Shaler Area School District students. Photo by Roman Hladio.

Next steps for the park include installing fencing around the perimeter. The corporation is currently in the middle of a fundraising campaign for the $10,000 project.

In an email to NEXTpittsburgh, Brian Wolovich, MCDC president, writes that playground equipment will be the next piece to fall into place as funding presents itself.

“These projects are hard to pull off with limited resources, but we will just keep on plugging away to get it done!” Wolovich writes.

Many of the trees planted nearby are still young, but Trevor Southworth, MCDC’s operations manager, is looking forward to what the park will eventually grow to be.

“There’s few green spaces in Millvale, so we’re looking forward to being a green space, another space for kids to hang out,” he says. “It’s a place for people to enjoy, a place for trees and shade, hopefully, one day.”

The park’s name — Rainbow Raccoon — was given to it by Shaler Area School District students, he says, layering on one more way it reflects the community.

“That’s what they wanted to name it and be the mascot, and we felt like a raccoon was a fitting mascot for Millvale — a resilient little creature, and we have plenty of them hanging out here.”