Board adds discussion on animals at school fields, asks solicitor to research enforcement and ADA access

A board member moved on April 8 to add a discussion about animals on Ambridge Area School District athletic fields, saying volunteer coaches repeatedly find dog feces on practice fields and that cleanup burdens fall to unpaid volunteers. The board voted to add the item to the April 15 agenda for fuller consideration.

Board members spent more than an hour debating options, including clearer signage, waste-station installations, monetary fines for violators, and limits on animal access during sports seasons. Several members noted that some fields are on municipal parkland outside the district’s authority and said solutions would need coordination with local governments and youth leagues.

Members also raised questions about who would enforce any new rule. Some suggested coaches should be able to report violations to district staff or local police; others warned that asking volunteers to enforce rules could create conflicts during youth events. The board asked administration to collect cost estimates for signage and waste-station installations.

The discussion also shifted to accessibility: a board member raised concerns that some fields — particularly the facilities at Economy — lack routes that allow people using wheelchairs or walkers to reach bleachers or sidelines. Members asked the solicitor to review whether proposed fixes would trigger ADA upgrade obligations for older facilities and whether any needed work would create legal exposure or require budgeting.

Superintendent Dr. Pascarella and the board agreed to ask the solicitor to research policies used by other districts, statutory obligations, and enforcement mechanisms. The superintendent and staff will gather pricing for signs and minor pathway improvements and report findings at a future meeting. No new policy was adopted at the April 8 meeting; the board added the discussion to the next meeting’s agenda for further action.