Town of Falmouth Announces Closure of Youth Baseball Complex
FALMOUTH, Mass., January 27, 2025 – The Town of Falmouth today announced the immediate closure of its John L. Neill youth baseball complex located at 525 Gifford Street due to the discovery of non-compliant soil and glass.
The non-compliant fill material, which includes lead, arsenic, zinc and polychlorinated biphenyls (PCBs) in excess of allowable state regulatory levels, was discovered during a recent renovation project at the baseball fields. Glass was found along and near the surface of walkways leading to and around the fields.
The Town of Falmouth has notified and is working closely with the Massachusetts Department of Environmental Protection (MassDEP) to develop a comprehensive strategy for the site in accordance with the Massachusetts Contingency Plan (MCP). The town has also engaged a Licensed Site Professional (LSP) and environmental consulting firm to assist with oversight of the project. The Town will remove glass from the walkways in conformance with applicable regulations and guidance.
According to historical documents reviewed during the initial phase of the investigation, the baseball fields and surrounding area were used as a landfill for household waste and municipal waste in the 1940s and 1950s.
Additional testing to identify any additional compounds and chemicals in the soil at the complex – as well as potential associated health risks - are currently underway.
“We are temporarily closing the John L. Neill fields out of an abundance of caution for the health and safety of Falmouth residents and visitors,” said Falmouth Town Manager Michael Renshaw. “We understand this discovery at a recreational facility is of great concern to residents, and the Town of Falmouth is committed to providing frequent updates as information becomes available.”
Additional information will be posted to a dedicated page of the town website when it becomes available: https://www.falmouthma.gov/1530/John-Neill-Fields.
