Photo: Getty Images
AYER, Mass. (WBZ NewsRadio) — The Kiddie Junction Playground at Pirone Park in Ayer will be closed for a while due to an arsenic contamination within the playground's structure, said town officials.
In a public notification sent out on Friday, officials said that the town plans to remediate and replace the playground structure and that the Town of Ayer's Licensed Site Professionals notified the Massachusetts Department of Environmental Protection of the contamination earlier in the week. MassDEP approved the closure, and the playground was fenced off on Friday.
Read More: Bedford N.H. Police Identify Pilot Killed In Overnight Plane Crash
Kiddie Junction Playground was constructed in 1989, officials said, and arsenic was a common wood treatment used for playgrounds during that time period. Town officials said they have been informed that the likelihood of health implications due to exposure to the common materials is believed to be very low but any concerns should be directed to primary health care providers.
The Town of Ayer said that the Ayer Parks Commission is working on a proposed plan to replace the playground with an estimated timeline for construction to begin in July of 2022.
Follow WBZ NewsRadio:Facebook|Twitter|Instagram|iHeartmedia App