EPISODE · Feb 20, 2026 · 34 MIN
Main Street NC: East Durham's contaminated parks
from WUNC Politics · host WUNC News
This is the sixth and final episode in a new season of our Main Street NC series. We're visiting communities across the state to hear from local leaders about the issues and challenges they're facing.Soil contamination from long-ago trash incinerators has prompted Durham to close five of its parks for the past two years, and they’re still not close to a final solution to the issue.Soil testing in 2024 found potential lead contamination in the parks, and the city closed off playgrounds, athletic fields and other amenities to do additional testing and come up with a clean-up plan. Two of the five parks are in East Durham, where it can be difficult to find parks and public spaces that are open for young people. WUNC News visited East Durham and spoke with Durham Parks and Recreation Director Wade Walcutt about what's next.
What this episode covers
This is the sixth and final episode in a new season of our Main Street NC series. We're visiting communities across the state to hear from local leaders about the issues and challenges they're facing. Soil contamination from long-ago trash incinerators has prompted Durham to close five of its parks for the past two years, and they’re still not close to a final solution to the issue. Soil testing in 2024 found potential lead contamination in the parks, and the city closed off playgrounds, athletic fields and other amenities to do additional testing and come up with a clean-up plan. Two of the five parks are in East Durham, where it can be difficult to find parks and public spaces that are open for young people. WUNC News visited East Durham and spoke with Durham Parks and Recreation Director Wade Walcutt about what's next.
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Main Street NC: East Durham's contaminated parks
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