Days after kids got into a major brawl in Downtown Pittsburgh, some school leaders are reacting, trying to get ahead of more potential activity this weekend.

Pittsburgh Public Schools left a voice message for families Tuesday night, informing them about a flyer circulating on social media of a “downtown takeover” on Friday.

“This event is not sanctioned, not supervised, and poses a serious safety concern for our students. We urge all families to discourage their children from attending,” part of Pittsburgh Public Schools’ message said.

The location is unclear, but it’s scheduled for less than one week after a large brawl at Market Square, a place Pittsburgh Public Safety said has become a hub for kids and teens to gather, and where a fight early Sunday evening resulted in seven minors cited for disorderly conduct, and around 20 treated for exposure to pepper spray.

Jen Grippo, owner of Original Oyster House, said they were closed at the time. However, Grippo said they remain in close contact with their neighboring businesses about any activity.

“It was certainly disappointing,” Grippo said. 

Grippo said she and Kathy Marsico, the operations manager at Nicholas Coffee and Tea Co., were already aware of the potential event on Friday.

“It’s a crazy world right now,” Marsico said. “It’s a cultural, social, kind of environment where the kids are very, you know, just attracted to that type of behavior.” 

Marsico said police are urging all shops that don’t have cameras to put them up and to provide them with access to assist in these situations. She also said they work with an outreach team called AIM.

“They’re trying to make sure that the kids act responsibly and don’t take part in those types of events,” Marsico said.

Between these efforts and the PPS voicemail, businesses are encouraged by the proactive measures, but do feel more long-term solutions are needed, something the Pittsburgh Public Safety director said is in the works, as police confirmed to KDKA they’re monitoring the potential gathering that’s days away.

“We just want to make sure that even if the kids do come Downtown, you’re being safe, you’re being respectful, and you’re not going to cause a ruckus,” Grippo said.

Joining in on the excitement of the upcoming FIFA World Cup, the Pittsburg City Commission approved the development of a new park featuring soccer fields.

For months, many soccer players from the Pittsburg area have appeared before the City Commissioners to advocate for much-needed soccer fields. A search for the right spot was conducted, and after several months, a purchase of space for the sport was made during Tuesday’s city commission meeting.

The property, purchased from Mercy Health Pittsburg, is located between Hospital Drive and Springdale Street south of Centennial Drive. The park will sit on 23.7 acres and feature three full-size soccer fields, serving Pittsburg and the surrounding region. The site would also include a walking trail around the lake, offering additional amenities for residents.

Both the City and Mercy share a vision for strengthening community well‑being and enhancing local amenities.

“Mercy thanks the City Commission for approving this transaction, and we couldn’t possibly be more excited to watch what the City has planned to provide the community,” said Dave Smith, Mercy Health Pittsburg administrator. “We appreciate the opportunity to lend our name to the development, deepening our integration into the community. It brings all of us joy to think about being neighbors with a new Pittsburg staple that families will enjoy for years to come.”

City Manager Daron Hall said, “We appreciate the willingness of Mercy to continue our partnership by allowing us to purchase these unique assets for our citizens. Not only does it provide soccer facilities and ample parking, but also a wonderful lake for the entire community to enjoy. We look forward to developing this over the next few years and turn it into another wonderful destination in Pittsburg.”

Beyond providing a place to play soccer, fish, walk, and enjoy the outdoors, the park will also serve as another way to encourage visitors to the area.

“Our goal is to provide a much-needed space for our soccer community and hopefully host tournaments, attract visitors, and create a highly visible recreation destination,” City of Pittsburg Housing and Community Development Director Kim Froman said.

The development of the park will start after design details are finalized. The city is hoping to have soccer fields ready for play in 2027.