RED HOOK — Four of the Red Hook Ball Fields will be kept closed at least until the end of this season after officials discovered significant levels of lead contamination in the soil.
Park-goers and Little Leaguers won’t be able to access fields 5, 6, 7 and 8 for an indefinite period of time while the Environmental Protection Agency and the city’s Parks Departments conduct a cleanup plan of the affected areas, officials said.
It is unclear how long the fields — near Hicks, Bay, Clinton and Lorraine streets — will be closed to the public during the project.
“That hasn’t been determined. We don’t have an estimate as yet,” EPA spokesman Elias Rodriguez said.
The EPA has been conducting a recent investigation into the green spaces since last year, taking soil samples from soccer and baseball fields in the park area.
The impacted areas have been “fenced off for some time” as a result of the official inquiry, Rodriguez said.
The area was once the site of a smelting and refining facility, and lead contaminants may have possibly been left in the soil as a result of the smelting process, according to the EPA.
Recent soil sampling found that the lead levels in the area were higher than expected based on results taken in previous years. Another set of soil samples was taken last month, the results of which will be released in June.
Lead exposure can be dangerous for unborn children and young kids, who can experience decreased intelligence, slowed growth and hearing problems.
However, it is highly unlikely that the contamination will cause health issues for kids and locals who have been using the Red Hook fields, Rodriguez said.
“We’ve determined that there is a reason to take additional mitigation steps and to do a cleanup,” Rodriguez said. “But there’s no reason for anyone to be alarmed.”
Last weekend, the Red Hook Food Vendors returned to the streets surrounding the ball fields for the season. Executive director Marcos Lainez anticipates a possible drop in sales because of the field closures.
"It's less customers coming into the park," he said.
However, Lainez added that vendor sales were not affected in the recent opening weekend.
“Long-term, I’m sure it will affect our sales," he said. "Less kids coming to play.”