It was the 1980s when contamination was detected outside of the Planteen Recreation Center on North Dort Street in Plant City. Almost three decades later, the Florida Department of Environmental Protection has found funds eligible for a state-funded cleanup of the site.
City Commissioners approved an agreement with the Florida Department of Environmental Protection regarding site access to the center at a Monday, Oct. 10, meeting.
The contamination was first found when the center was being expanded.
“When the construction was going on for the addition, the contamination was discovered when they were moving dirt around,” Jack Holland, director of the city’s Recreation and Parks Department, said.
Because the center was first built in the 1960s, finding contamination two decades later signified that the contamination was caused by something that had been on the grounds prior to the center. The contamination was thought to have been caused by a mechanical garage or similar structure that was once in the area.
The FDEP did not find the funding for a site cleanup until September 2016 because the Planteen site contamination was not considered to be a threat to area residents.
“They just found funding to remediate older sites — the smaller, non-critical ones,” Holland said. “They’ll be testing the ground to see if there is still contamination in the area. They may test, and there may be nothing there.”
The purpose of checking the site now, Holland said, is so the FDEP can remove any remaining contamination and prevent such contamination from reaching the water table. By approving the agreement with the FDEP, the City Commission granted the organization access to conduct soil and groundwater investigations, collect waste and water samples, remove contaminated soil and remove and install utility connections.
Though the dates the FDEP will be checking the contamination at the center are not yet confirmed, activities are set to proceed as scheduled. Contamination levels will be checked at the front of the building on Dort Street, but residents can access the building through the entrance on Oak Avenue, which is ADA-compliant and is connected by sidewalks.
Contact Emily Topper at etopper@plantcityobserver.com.