AYER, MASS. (WHDH) - A popular playground in Ayer has been closed to the public due to arsenic contamination, town officials announced Friday.
The town’s licensed site professional on Tuesday notified the Massachusetts Department of Environmental Protection that arsenic contamination was present at the Kiddie Junction Playground, according to a statement released by the Town of Ayer.
The playground has since been closed and the area has been fenced off as of Friday, Ayer officials said.
Kiddie Junction Playground was constructed in 1989, a period during which arsenic was a common wood treatment used in playgrounds.
Town officials say they “have been informed the likelihood of health implications due to exposure to these common materials is believed to be very low.”
The Ayer Parks Commission is now working on a proposed plan to replace the Kiddie Junction Playground, with construction expected to begin in July 2022, according to officials.
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