Community Meeting To Be Held To Present Toxicology Study On Blanche Park

MIAMI (CBSMiami) -- The City of Miami will host a community meeting  next week to present the results of a toxicology study done at Blanche Park in the neighborhood of Coconut Grove after the park was closed due to contaminated soil.

The study was conducted by the Florida Department of Health after tests performed in August showed that some of the dirt in one area of the parking lot  is tainted with toxic metals, dioxins and arsenic six inches to a foot beneath the ground.

The meeting will be held on Tuesday, December 10 at 6:00 p.m. at Miami City Hall.

In September, about 30 people attended a meeting to hear the results of soil tests from Blanche Park but  the results that were expected to be back were not ready and residents were told more testing would be done.

Commissioner Marc Sarnoff attended the meeting in September with residents of the communities surrounding the park.

The City of Miami began additional testing in September after contaminated soil was found. At least 24 spots in the park were tested according to officials.

The tests examined areas deeper, about 18 inches to two feet, beneath the surface.

Miami Commissioner Marc Sarnoff told concerned neighbors back in September, ash dumped at the site back in the 1940's from an incinerator known as "Old Smokey" might be the reason for the contamination.

Merrie Christmas Park and Douglas Park were also closed due to the presence of some contamination.

City of Miami and Miami-Dade County DERM representatives will be at the December 10th meeting  to provide updates regarding sampling efforts and remediation plans for Blanche Park and Merrie Christmas Park.