Source: http://www.miamiherald.com, December 8, 2014
By: David Smiley
The details of an estimated $6 million cleanup and construction project at Miami’s contaminated Douglas Park will be on display Tuesday during a 5 p.m. public meeting at City Hall.
The 10-acre park at 2795 SW 37th Ave. has been closed for more than a year now following the discovery of solid waste, such as burnt tires, and toxic heavy metals beneath the park’s surface. The toxins and waste, according to a consultant, were likely deposited at the site when it was a municipal dumping grounds.
The park was one of a half-dozen closed entirely or partially last year after concerns related to dumped ash from a Coconut Grove incinerator led to testing at all city parks. At Douglas Park, contaminants in some areas lay just inches below the grass, as deep as 14 feet, according to consultant URS Corporation.
The city is now moving forward with cleanup projects at its contaminated parks following a commission decision to take out a $10 million loan several months ago. According to a press release, administrators are seeking public input prior to submitting a proposal to the Department of Environmental Resources Management.
The plans include the construction of a $2.5 million community center. The meeting will be held at 3500 Pan American Dr.