Basketball courts at McDonald park closed over ‘bad behavior’
For the last several years, the mayor of McDonald has been receiving complaints about the conduct of young people at the basketball courts in Heritage Park.
Mayor Terry Bennett had seen and heard enough Thursday night when he had the backboards taken down and basketball court closed. Bennett called borough police about 8:30 p.m. to report teens using profanity and not obeying rules at the park.
The mayor was speaking to a 20-year-old Oakdale man and an 18-year-old Sturgeon man.
Police learned profanities were being used at the park. Juveniles and other young people also were refusing to clean up their garbage. The two men were told by police the basketball court was being closed and anyone found there would be charged with criminal trespass.
The Oakdale man reportedly directed a profanity at the officer before leaving the park.
“I couldn’t believe how he spoke to the officer,” Bennett said. “He had no respect for the police. If that would have been me when I was younger, I would have been scared to death.”
“I have been getting complaints from people going into the bank, pharmacy and Giant Eagle about the behavior of young people using the courts,” he added. “We’ve been warning them for years that the hoops would come down.”
The backboards were taken down Thursday and left near the court. As for the future of basketball at the park, Bennett is not certain.
“They will be down at least through the rest of the festival,” Bennett said of McSummerfest, which runs through Saturday. “After that, we’ll see.”