East End Park in McDonald reopens with new safety measures

MCDONALD, Pa. — East End Park in McDonald Borough is back open.

“We all want the same outcome,” said Fort Cherry Youth Softball President Doug Stone. “A safe place to play for girls.”

>> McDonald Borough closes East End Park due to ‘increasing drug activity’

Doug Stone is a father to two girls and also the president of the Fort Cherry Youth Softball League, which is made up of almost 100 girls. He was getting the ballfield in East End Park ready for the upcoming season along with some other volunteers when they found several needles and other drug paraphernalia.

“It angers me,” said Stone. “It angers our whole organization.”

Stone says they found signs of drug activity in the dugout more than once.

“It’s sad that it’s almost the world we live in now that even young children at a park has to deal with this,” said Stone.

Because of this, the Borough of McDonald closed East End Park on Monday, April 15, and implemented some new safety measures such as locked gates with barbed wire and regular police patrols to arrest people for trespassing.

“There’s been added cameras,” said Stone. “There’s been added lights to deter anyone from coming into the area and doing this.”

After being closed for a week, McDonald Police took down the police tape and unlocked the gates for the girls to start playing their games in East End Park again.

“Through this whole thing the Borough has been great,” said Stone. “They’ve worked with me and our board and our whole organization to try to quickly make it safe for these girls and the coaches and the public. Very quick response by the borough and the police department. Everybody involved. We could not be happier.”

If you see any kind of suspicious activity around the ballfields, you’re asked to call 911.

Download the FREE WPXI News app for breaking news alerts.

Follow Channel 11 News on Facebook and Twitter. | Watch WPXI NOW

©2024 Cox Media Group