Development or Not Use Some Logic

I would not consider Downingtown borough to be using scare tactics in posting signs warning of the contaminants in Kardon Park. Lead, arsenic, mercury, and benzopyrene are the chemicals in the ground and that is not a disputed fact. What is being disputed is the levels of contamination and the safety of the area to people.

Supposedly the contaminated soil is safe for use as a passive park, but not for residential use. What do people do in a park? Children and adults play sports, games, walk, take their pets to run around. What do people do in their backyards? Kids play games, run around, pets run around. The activities that go on in a park and a backyard are pretty similar in my mind.

So rather than looking at the scientific and technical specifications that allow certain levels of contamination in one area as opposed to another, let us use a little common sense and logic. Why would a park with lead, arsenic, mercury, and benzopyrene be safe for children to play in and walk through, but if the same land was residential it would need to be remediated (cleaned up). Would you really want to go to a park because it is only safe enough for a park, but not safe enough for a backyard? What would happen if the area in question was a school sports field? I highly doubt anyone would let the activity continue without remediation.

The borough is not using scare tactics, they are covering their behind.

In the past most park goers used the Lions Trail or the ponds. Those areas are known to be safe. Now with the increased media attention, and some people saying the park is completely safe and they use it regularly, the borough is trying to make the public aware that the area may not be completely safe.

Do you think it is in the borough's best interest to knowingly allow the public into a contaminated area without properly informing them of it? Can you imagine the magnitude of the lawsuit against the borough if a problem occurred in the future?

In Valley Forge park, 112 acres of land are contaminated with asbestos. After it was discovered the area was fenced off and emergency remediation was done. Some was removed and the rest was covered to prevent the asbestos from becoming friable (or becoming airborne). None of the asbestos is exposed, but the signs warning of the danger are still present. Are the signs the National Park Service put up trying to scare people away from Valley Forge? No — they are warning the public of the danger, and keeping them out of a potentially hazardous area.

In this lawsuit-happy world we live in where a children's toy with small amounts of lead in the paint gets recalled, would you let your child run around in a park that contains lead, arsenic, mercury, and benzopyrene?

Oh, I forgot the levels are too high to be safe in your backyard, but it is completely safe in a park without any remediation. Think about it. Development or not I ask that you use some logic when thinking about the issue.

Mark Zwizanski