Harlem, NY Park Closed for Toxic Turf…

Filed under: NYC, WTF

park.jpg

These Harlem, NY soccer fields are only five years old, cost over a million dollars to construct, and contain toxic levels of lead considered unsafe. Lead can cause brain damage, apparently…

Compare yesterday’s notice with the original press release from the 2003 park opening after the jump…fairly ridiculous….

December 23, 2008 Metro NY

“The city closed an artificial turf field at Thomas Jefferson Park at 114th Street and First Avenue on Monday after discovering lead contamination. The field, installed in December 2003 at a cost of more than $1 million, will be replaced, said a Parks Department spokesman. Lead can cause brain damage and other illnesses.”

December 5th, 2003 Press Release

“Now, for the first time, children playing on this park’s new brand artificial turf field will be able to enjoy a game of soccer without creating the huge amount of dust that once disturbed neighboring residents…Artificial turf fields, once considered uncomfortable and unsightly, are now being used increasingly in parks thanks to technological advances made in the material…”

Image via NJ

Added on Wednesday, December 24th, 2008 by

Leave a Comment

Leave a Comment