Beaver Bans Sledding At Wayne Park

BEAVER (KDKA) - Sled riding is one of winter's recreational joys, particularly for families.

For more years than anyone can remember, parents brought their young children to Beaver's Wayne Park to ride the gentle slope down the hill.

On Wednesday, the borough put up a sign banning sled riding.

Jack Pettibon often brought his daughters to the hill while they were growing up.

"Yea, we sledded here all the time. My daughters were growing up. They're both now adults and living elsewhere. When they come home for Christmas, I'm sure they're going to look at this and think it's crazy," Pettibon said.

"There's just no place for them to go if they keep banning all these safe places," Barbara Misorsky said.

But the borough believes it's unsafe because kids can sled ride into the street.

The restrictions on sledding include: borough residents only, sledding at your own risk, no sledding after sunset, using the marked path only and children under 12 must wear a helmet.

Sledders also cannot ride tubes or discs or start all the way at the top of the hill.

Borough Council took the action after pressure from its insurance carrier.

"Because of all the lawsuits, we're going to lose our insurance if we don't do something. So, the choice was to find a way to have sled riding or ban it totally," Shirley Sayers said.

The action comes a year after Pittsburgh put up signs imposing a similar ban on a hill in Frick Park.

The ban is often ignored and the signs have even been stolen.

However, police will enforce the ordinance in Beaver.