Rockford Park Contaminated With Hazardous Waste Is Reopening

There is a park in Rockford that has been closed and deserted for over 5 years now. That park is Ekberg Manor near S. Alpine and Sandy Hollow road. It was closed years ago due to public health concerns. Some people don't even know why the park was closed in the first place but we have the story. Before it was a park, It was a disposal area. between trash and chemical dumping it contaminated the ground water beneath the park. The Illinois EPA built a water treatment facility and a system of wells to try pull out the contaminated water and soil gas according to WREX.com.

The efforts to remove the contamination will be going on for years. The park will reopen next year and the EPA says that by then it will be safe for children and families. They say that the contamination is buried and not at the surface of the park. With the renovation, new playground equipment is coming, new basketball courts, drinking fountains and a spray pad. Construction is slated to begin this summer. The Illinois EPA will fit the bill for the new improvements costing around $339,000.