Riverside Park sign. Image courtesy: WAOW TV
WAUSAU, WI (WSAU) — Wausau’s Parks and Recreation Committee has received a final report detailing the biggest problem areas for soil contamination in Riverside Park, now it’s a matter of digesting the data and putting a remediation plan in action.
“We have a definition of the area of the problem and we are about to have a plan to remediate it. The cloud that has hung over this park is about to blow away,” said Committee Chair and District 1 Alder Pat Peckham.
According to the report, they’ve narrowed the biggest problem area down to the southern part of the park near the slope. “It’s fairly confined,” added Peckham.
Now the question remains does the area get remediated to federal or state levels. The committee received the report late last week, meaning they’ve had a chance to look at it but not enough time to digest it. Additionally, it wasn’t received in time to put any action on Monday’s agenda.
Peckham says that’s a good thing because there are still other people that need to be brought into the discussion before they start getting too deep into the decision-making process. “As laymen, we [don’t] know exactly what to think of it, so it will be good to hear from the engineer who’s doing the consulting for us. Director of Public Works [Eric Lindman] has also been very helpful in advising us.”
In the meantime, Peckham says there’s no need for park users to change their habits. “It is not of concern to casual users of the park. People don’t need to stay away from any part of the park- walk wherever you want, just don’t be digging holes and rolling in the dirt.
“[The most common way] you would get the dioxins in your body is through ingestion, not through contact,” he added.
Dioxin levels in Riverside Park have been the subject of much conversation, debate, and at times- controversy over the years. The city has often warned of the dangers of the dioxin levels left behind by previous manufacturing companies in the area, but has never restricted access or deemed the park safe for use. Peckham says with the new report in tow, residents may finally see the light at the end of the tunnel getting brighter.
“There will be few people happier than yours truly to have this resolved,” added Peckham.
The next Parks and Rec meeting is scheduled for November 1st at Wausau City Hall. More discussion will be held on the topic at that time.
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