The son of baseball legend Roberto Clemente says the toxic dumping scandal that has tarnished the park that bears his father's name is a travesty but is looking forward to helping to reopen it and making it "the best park in town."
"I'm very disappointed," Roberto Clemente Jr. said of the dumping. "I felt they were doing it on me, if you will, because of the name of the park."
Timberline Park in Brentwood was renamed after the Major League baseball player in 2011, but it's been closed since the spring after authorities found toxic chemicals in the soil there, including metals and pesticides along with arsenic and asbestos.
Authorities say 32,000 tons of the contaminated soil and debris were dumped in the park over the course of eight months. Investigators haven't named any suspects, but say the dumping started last summer.
"There's consequences for every action," said Clemente Jr, of Houston, who learned of the park dumping scandal online. "Obviously, I'll let the DA deal with that."
Town officials said they can't start cleaning up until they're approved by the state.
"The timeline is very much in the hands of the DEC," said Town of Islip Supervisor Tom Croci. "When they approve the plan, then we're going to go ahead and be able to start the work."
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Clemente said his dad was a humanitarian who cared about those in need. He's grateful for the town's efforts to rebuild the park.
"This park is going to be the best park in the town, and I believe the kids will have a great place, a safe place, to play and grow and develop as human beings," he said.
Once state environmental officials approve the town's cleanup plans for the park, the community will have a chance to weigh in on its future.
Investigators are also looking into toxic dumping at a vacant lot in Central Islip and at a housing development for veterans in Islandia. They have been trying to determine who is responsible for the dumping, and are testing soil at other possible sites.
The group that built the veterans' homes, Long Island Builders Institute, says the three sites are linked by the same contractor.
Authorities say all 107 parks in Islip are being examined for contamination.
