Fate of Springdale's Veterans Memorial Field remains unclear

Springdale is discussing “all available options” for the future of Veterans Memorial Field, former home of the Springdale Dynamos, according to Councilman Dan Copeland.

The discussions come after unsuccessful lease negotiations between the borough and Allegheny Valley School District, which played football at the site for more than 80 years, left the field vacant since 2023.

In the meantime, the district has begun construction of a new turf field near Springdale Jr.-Sr. High School to serve as a home field for its football, soccer and track and field teams.

Copeland said the borough will leave “no stone unturned” as it searches for potential buyers or leases. He and others have had discussions with other sports leagues, but Copeland said he’d ideally prefer to see the site made into housing.

Council President Mike Ziencik said he would opt for “whatever is best for the borough” when considering possibilities for the field site.

“We owe that to everybody. We owe that to the community to find the best fit. Nostalgia purposes don’t pay the bills,” Copeland said, referring to the field’s nearly century of hosting sports events.

According to Borough Manager Terry Carcella, the field recently was appraised at $452,500. In the coming weeks, he said he plans to recommend a feasibility study to borough officials to better determine their options.

A leaning wall near the field’s bleachers, the seeming cause of the dispute between the district and borough, remains unrepaired. Copeland said the borough is still discussing how it may address the problem.

The borough hopes to have a firmer plan for the field by this fall, he said.