Wenatchee City Rotary Park

The Wenatchee City Rotary Park site operated as an apple orchard for at least 50 years. Contaminants of concern associated with the orchard operation include chlorinated pesticides, organophosphorus pesticides (OP pesticides), and metals including arsenic and lead which have been applied as part of the customary operations of apple and cherry orchards.

As part of cleanup activities, the site was redeveloped into a city park. Park elements include nine tennis courts, three multi-purpose courts, an 80-space parking lot, a restroom/storage building, a picnic shelter, and a paved promenade. The northern third of the park is developed for more passive, open space use as is the western third. An 8-foot wide walking trail circles the park.

Through the US Environmental Protection Agency Superfund Technical Assessment and Response Team, Ecology and Environment, Inc., performed a Targeted Brownfields Assessment (TBA) at the site in 2000. The City of Wenatchee wished to determine potential contamination from farming practices at the property to assist in the assessment of future use of the property as a city park and therefore requested a TBA at the property. The TBA consisted of limited on-site sampling at potential contaminant source areas for site characterization purposes.

Subsurface soil samples were collected from eight locations. Only arsenic exceeded Model Toxics Control Act (MTCA) Method A cleanup levels.

The city of Wenatchee conducted a final cleanup action at the site during the summer of 2004 with technical and engineering support from Munson Engineers, Inc. It was determined that a multi-tiered approach to soil contamination remediation best suited the site.

A restrictive covenant was recorded at the site in September 2005.

Based upon cleanup activities and the recorded restrictive covenant, Ecology determined the site is no longer a threat to human health and the environment. Ecology issued a no further action determination in May 2006.

Periodic reviews are conducted every 5 years by Ecology for sites that have institutional controls. The review is intended to examine the effectiveness of cleanup activities and to assure the continued protection of human health and the environment.

Periodic review results

The site currently operates as a City of Wenatchee public park. The site is covered in grass, with a small pavilion and a paved walking path circling the park. The clean soil cap continues to serve as an effective barrier to eliminate the human exposure pathways (ingestion, contact) to contaminated soils. Based upon site visits conducted in 2010, 2015, and 2021, no repair, maintenance or contingency actions have been required.  
 
The cleanup actions completed at the site are protective of human health and the environment.

Soil cleanup levels have not been met at the site; however, the cleanup action for the Property is determined to comply with cleanup standards under WAC 173-340-740(6) (f), since the long-term integrity of the containment system is ensured and the requirements for containment technologies have been met.
 
The restrictive covenant for the property is in place and continues to be effective in protecting public health and the environment from exposure to hazardous substances and protecting the integrity of the cleanup action.

A site maintenance and landscaping plan should be developed by the City to make sure that employees are aware of the procedures necessary to avoid exposure of contaminated soils.

No additional remedial actions are required by the property owner. It is the property owner’s responsibility to continue to inspect the site to assure that the integrity of the cap is maintained.