Damakant Jayshi

The bidding for Wausau’s Riverside Park cleanup has been delayed again with the city waiting for results of soil samples taken last month, city officials said on Monday.

The new bidding target is now January or February but even that depends on the extent of the excavation that needs to be carried out at the park, according to the plan shared by the Wausau Parks and Recreation Committee.

The cleanup effort for Riverside Park and 1300 Cleveland Avenue, another city-owned site that has chemical contamination, has been marked by a slow pace.

In August, the Public Works Director Eric Lindman told Wausau’s Finance Committee that he expected the bidding to go out this year. The City Council diverted $28,600 from the Environmental Fund to collect information for bidding for Riverside Park cleanup work that month.

A DPW update for the Parks and Recreation Committee said that based on landfill waste determination samples, the material proposed to be excavated meets the requirement to be accepted at the Marathon County Landfill.

The remediation is being spearheaded by REI.

Laboratory analytical results on the latest samples collected in November showed “exceedance of the NR720 Non-Industrial Direct Contact RCLs (residual contaminant levels). “As such the excavation area at the base of the hill is not completely defined,” the DPW update said. “The decision was to collect additional samples further out at the base of the hill to define the degree and extent of exceedances.”

The consultants collected additional samples on Nov 23, and city is waiting for the results.

REI is also preparing specifications for the cleanup bidding, DPW officials said. The Remedial Actions Options Report (RAOR) has been conditionally approved by Wisconsin Department of Natural Resources.

Alders express concern over Wausau Woodchucks proposal for AstroTurf

Some members of the Parks and Recreation Committee expressed concerns over the potential environmental impact of a proposed AstroTurf upgrade proposed for Athletic Park. The Wausau Woodchucks submitted a proposal to install AstroTurf in the infield and infield foul territory sections of Athletic Park, said Director of the Parks, Recreation, and Forestry Jamie Polley.

Alder Carol Lukens asked about PFAS chemicals that have been known to be found in synthetic turf, saying that she understands the need to better prepare for sports competitions but is concerned about the environmental impact. Multiple reports have said that synthetic turf has been found to contain PFAS, known as ‘forever chemicals.’ The city of Boston has already banned artificial turf in its parks due to toxic ‘forever chemicals’.

Alder Lou Larson said he shared Lukens’ concerns and was additionally concerned about the new turf’s impact on the historic nature of Athletic Park. Mark Macdonald, owner of Wausau Woodchucks, said the organization takes the historical and environmental concerns of the community very seriously.

The Woodchucks have also proposed to bring a Division Collegiate Summer Softball team to Wausau in the summer of 2024.

The proposal has the support of many local sports bodies as well as the area high schools. The main rationale behind the proposal, supporters say, is that both baseball and softball can be played and it saves cost for maintenance compared to natural grass field.

The committee voted to send the proposal to the Wausau City Council.