Excavation, Soil Removal Scheduled at Mary Dennison Park

Soil treatment and excavation work to remove the soil containing high-levels of lead in two areas of Mary Dennison Park is scheduled to start next week.

The eastern playground along Beaver Street and an area approximately 20 feet by 20 feet on the northeast side of the park will be affected during the work.

The Massachusetts Department of Environmental Protection (MassDEP) approved this treatment and excavation plan, which is being conducted by Avery Dennison Corporation and the Town of Framingham.

The plan includes air monitoring during treatment and excavation activities so that the work will not impact the surrounding community.

The work areas will be indicated by fenced and restricted areas along Beaver Street, including the playground and a section of the parking lot in front of the basketball court.

A targeted remediation program at Mary Dennison Park is scheduled to begin Tuesday, Oct. 13.

During this process, the north side of the Beaver Street parking lot will be available to the public; one basketball court will be available in the evenings after 5 p.m.

In September 2014, the Town fenced and closed the park’s eastern playground, after consulting with MassDEP, when tests showed high levels of lead in the topsoil in that area.

Framingham Patch was the first media outlet to report on the closure of the playground at the park.

Since that time the Town of Framingham has completed additional soil sampling and testing and ground water sampling testing.

The approved sampling and testing program approved by MassDEP and about to be carried out by Avery Dennison Corp. will include tests for a wide range of chemicals and compounds of concern reflecting the nature of material that exists in the former dump that exists under the park.

Avery Dennison merged with Dennison Manufacturing Company, who gave the Mary Dennison Park property to the Town between 1956 and 1964.

The property was used as a dump from the mid-1920s to the late 1940s or early 1950’s.

As such MassDEP has named Avery Dennison as a so-called “Responsible Party” and directed that they become a party to the site evaluation.

In 2014, the Town notified the state and the Department of Environmental Protection (DEP) it discovered toxins in the soil of the playground, located off Beaver Street.