PITTSBURGH \u2014 As we celebrate the 250th birthday of our country next week, we\u2019ve been looking back at how Pittsburgh and Southwestern Pennsylvania shaped the nation, but Chief Investigator Rick Earle spoke with the mayor about his hopes for the city\u2019s future. <\/p>\n
Earle: What does the next 250 years look like? <\/p>\n
Mayor Corey O\u2019Connor: Well, will there be flying cars at that point? Hopefully, a couple Super Bowls and some World Series, some Stanley Cups. That would be great.<\/p>\n
Walking through the Squirrel Hill neighborhood, Mayor Corey O\u2019Connor expressed hopes and dreams for the future of Pittsburgh, as the country celebrates 250 years.<\/p>\n
O\u2019Connor: Planning the future, though, cleaning out sites so that they\u2019re shovel-ready for new housing and new Pittsburgh residents. You know, investing in our parks and playgrounds, and in our youth. You know that\u2019s really where the future is.<\/p>\n
During the past two and a half centuries, Pittsburgh has evolved from the gateway to the West to the Steel City to \u201cEds and Meds\u201d and now to AI and robotics. <\/p>\n
O\u2019Connor: Pittsburgh\u2019s on the cutting edge on a lot of these things and I think that\u2019s why we want to tell the story of the talent that\u2019s here and what they\u2019re producing, but what it\u2019s also going to produce for our residents. Every time there\u2019s a new robotics company…those companies open up opportunities for jobs for our residents.<\/p>\n
Jobs and opportunities that the mayor says will ultimately improve the quality of life. <\/p>\n
Earle: You just want to make this a better place for people to live and raise their families? <\/p>\n
O\u2019Connor: I mean, that\u2019s what it\u2019s all about. That\u2019s the job of the mayor. <\/p>\n
On Friday, in Squirrel Hill, O\u2019Connor stopped to talk to the faces of the future. When he ran into a young boy, he asked: <\/p>\n
\u201cYou want to say anything to TV? Come on, tell us about Pittsburgh.\u201d<\/p>\n
Earle: What do you think about Pittsburgh? <\/p>\n
Boy: It\u2019s fine.<\/p>\n
O\u2019Connor: It\u2019s good! It\u2019s good!<\/p>\n
After a few minutes O\u2019connor realized he knew their family. <\/p>\n
\u201cI grew up with their dad and played Little League with their uncles, and that\u2019s the next generation of Pittsburghers, and we want them to be living in a walkable city where you can walk to the playgrounds, you can walk to school. You know all of those things build the next generation for Pittsburgh, and that\u2019s our approach. It is what we are doing for families in Pittsburgh every day, because that\u2019s how you grow and that\u2019s how you tell the new Pittsburgh story 250 years from now,\u201d O\u2019Cononr said.<\/p>\n
After the exposure from the NFL Draft and some other lofty national rankings, O\u2019Connor, despite the city\u2019s recent financial struggles, is optimistic about the future. <\/p>\n
O\u2019Connor: The whole world is looking at Pittsburgh after the NFL Draft. Then, you know, to be voted number one for July 4th by USA Today is amazing. Then you see every top ten list people are sending me, top ten places to raise a family. I mean, we got to continue to build off that momentum.<\/p>\n
If that future includes flying cars, at least one thing is certain.<\/p>\n
Earle: If we have flying cars, we don\u2019t have to worry about potholes? <\/p>\n
O\u2019Connor: Oh, that would be a nice treat. I fully support flying cars because then there would be no potholes.<\/p>\n
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