The Town of Fountain Hills has determined it will implement a plan to limit access to the ball fields at Golden Eagle Park. The Community Services Advisory Commission met March 12 and is recommending restricting access to the ball fields to those who have made a reservation.

The problem, according to Community Services Director Rachael Goodwin, is dogs. People are using the ball fields at the park as an off leash area to run their dogs, and are not cleaning up after them. Park officials say this became particularly noticeable with the completion of the field restoration that cost more than $500,000. The fields were damaged by flooding last fall.

In a memo to Town Manager Grady Miller provided to The Times, Goodwin outlined the issue.

“As we near the completion of the Golden Eagle Park ballfield restoration, it has come to the attention of staff that off leash dogs have continued to be an issue on the ballfields. We have had staff reports of more than six dogs on the fields at one time and dozens over the course of the weekend,” Goodwin said.

Read more on this story in the March 20 print edition of The Times.