Pokemon Go hunters will no longer be able to bag rare digital monsters after dark in the hunting grounds of New Castle's Battery Park.

Following numerous complaints about Pokemon hunters ambling about Battery Park at all hours of the night, city officials reached an agreement with the game's developer, Niantic, to essentially turn off the game in the park between 9 p.m. and 7 a.m.

Pokemon Go is a smartphone game that allows players to explore the real world hunting digital creatures that show up on their phone. It's been a digital sensation since being released last year.

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But those who live in the city's historic district near the Delaware River have complained that because the park and pier are a hot spot for rare Pokemon people are drawn from neighboring states all hours of the night.

Council President Linda Ratchford said the game developers agreed to turn off the game in the park because it is closed after dusk.

"We welcome all visitors, but understand you can have people trespassing or violating curfew rules," Ratchford said.

City Administrator Bill Barthel said Niantic made the change at the request of city officials.

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"You have folks that didn't realize there was a curfew," Barthel said. "By all means, it is a big help to us."

Residents who live near Battery Park or along The Strand, an upscale historic thoroughfare near the Delaware River, have complained about players congregating, urinating, littering, driving while playing and loitering. They demanded that city officials clamp down on what they see as a threat to the city's historic charm.

Other city residents say their neighbors need to chill. They see the game as something that attracts more people to local businesses and to enjoy the city's park with their friends and family members.

Police Chief Jamie Rogers has said violations for parking and driving while distracted, especially in the downtown area, went up since Pokémon hunters arrived last year. The city also began to close the park at dusk instead of 11 p.m., in response to Pokémon complaints.

Rogers said the Pokemon game has been a "non-issue" for police in terms of citizen complaints this summer.

Ratchford said restricting the game in the park will help police enforce the curfew while not shutting out visitors completely.

"We feel that is a much more productive way of making it a good experience for our guests and citizens," Ratchford said.

Since the popular game launched last year, Niantic has been barraged with complaints by residents, governments and other entities that manage public spaces.

For example, the U.S. Holocaust Memorial Museum successfully pushed to have the digital creatures removed from its space.

Some other exclusions include:

In Neenah, Wisconsin, Niantic removed four of the eight PokéStops earlier this year at a park in response to the city's concerns that players were overwhelming the neighborhood.



In Cincinnati, players were driving straight through funerals at New St. Joseph's Cemetery intent on finding the golden Virgin Mary, a PokeStop in addition to being an icon, WKRC-TV, Cincinnati, reported.

Cemetery officials asked to be removed from the game in mid-February but were told their request would be reviewed.



Cemetery officials asked to be removed from the game in mid-February but were told their request would be reviewed. In Milwaukee, officials decided in early February to require Niantic and other creators of location-based online games to obtain a permit before incorporating county park locations into the games. The requirement is in response to Milwaukee County parks officials' inability to hold the company financially accountable for damage done at Lake Park after throngs of players packed the park daily.

The county has since been sued, according to the Associated Press.



The county has since been sued, according to the Associated Press. In National Park, N.J., home to Red Bank Battlefield Park on the banks of the Delaware River, neighbors have been frustrated with traffic on their once-sleepy streets and illegal parking blocking their driveways. The park has more than 30 PokéStops linked to the Revolutionary War monuments and a half dozen gyms.

Gloucester County officials also petitioned Niantic to remove PokéStops and gyms from the park. But after two attempts — both through an online form on the Pokémon Go website — they've had no response, said Jerry White, the county's deputy administrator.