Residents press La Grange board for answers on Sedgwick Park soil contamination and special-waste costs

Residents raised environmental and worker-safety concerns about Sedgwick Park during public comment at the May 11 La Grange board meeting, asking the village to explain special-waste disposal charges, monitoring of a nearby 12-inch water main and intergovernmental arrangements with the Park District.

One public commenter told trustees the Park District’s November 2025 soil-investigation map shows contamination exceeding clean-construction and demolition-debris disposal limits, including "elevated levels of mercury," and said the village’s vac truck had been used in park basins under an intergovernmental agreement. The speaker asked whether that agreement and the use of the vac truck — which requires wetting soil before removal — had been reviewed in light of the findings and who will pay related disposal fees.

The resident further asked how the village is monitoring the integrity of an in-place water main near identified hot spots and whether staff assigned to clean catch basins have been given specialized training and protective equipment for handling contaminated material. Several other speakers (including a Park District attendee summarized by a commenter) said the Park District may need MSD (Metropolitan Sanitary District) permits to manage drainage and that proposed grading or soil removal could change how stormwater is conveyed to the 49th Street combined sewer, potentially increasing flood risk.

Village officials acknowledged the concerns and accepted the submitted Park District materials; trustees directed staff to review the documentation and provide an explanation of the special-waste charges, safety protocols for workers and any implications for the village’s infrastructure or intergovernmental agreements. No formal action or vote on the contamination allegations was taken at the meeting.