Durham Parks: let’s get the lead out.
Since 2023, fencing has kept Durham kids off the playgrounds at East Durham, East End, Lyon, Northgate, and Walltown parks. The soil underneath holds lead and buried waste from the city’s old incinerators. Three years in, there is still no reopening date.[1, 2, 4]
Lead under the playgrounds
Before modern environmental laws, Durham burned trash in municipal incinerators and buried the ash and waste. Some of that land later became neighborhood parks. In 2022, Duke researchers testing park soil found high concentrations of lead, and by late 2023 the state had added all five sites to its inventory of historic landfills. Fences went up around playgrounds, ball fields, and shelters.[2, 3, 10]
The cleanup has stalled on money and process. The state’s preliminary estimate for capping the contamination runs about $24.4 million; the city has identified $12 million. In October 2026 the city told residents the replacement fencing is designed to stand for four to five years.[4, 7]
We think Durham families deserve better than a five-year fence. This site tracks what the city and state are doing, what it costs, and where residents can push for faster, safer progress.
The five parks
Parts of each park are fenced off; none of the five is entirely closed. Status below is as reported by the city. Check signage on site before you go.[1]
| Park | Current status |
|---|---|
| East Durham Park | Playground and shelter closed; most of the park restricted. |
| East End Park | Playground, shelter, and pergola closed; separate redevelopment underway. |
| Lyon Park | Playground and ball field closed; most of the park restricted. |
| Northgate Park | All three playgrounds closed; some green space may reopen. |
| Walltown Park | Playground and small court closed; most of the park restricted. |
What we want the city to do
- Publish a real schedule. Dated milestones for each park, from remedy selection through reopening. A four-to- five-year fencing plan is not a schedule.
- Fund the whole job. $12 million is set aside against a $24.4 million estimate. Tell residents how the gap gets closed.
- Reopen safe areas now. Where testing shows an area is clean, open it. Don’t hold green space hostage to the slowest part of the project.
- Show the work. Post reports when they arrive, explain delays, and keep neighbors informed in plain English and Spanish.
This gets fixed when neighbors show up
City Council approved the current consultant contract 7 to 0 after residents kept the issue on the agenda. Public comment works. Emails work. Showing up works.