Parkland tainted by toxins

Father of four Keshav Essex bought a house on Edenvale Park Rd in Mt Eden because he thought his children would like the local reserve.

"It's a beautiful park, it's one of the things that sold me on the area."

Now he thinks officials should have put signs warning people about possible contamination.

The reserve is among more than 204 sites identified as possibly toxic by the Auckland Regional Council.

It was earmarked in 2003 when the council carried out remedial work after the soil was found to have slightly higher than usual traces of metals and hydrocarbons.

Although there was no immediate risk to users' health, the council decided to cap the contaminated soil with plastic matting and 10cm of clean topsoil. The work was completed in May 2004.

But Essex said he would be watching his young children, especially Nicholas, 7, and Bethany, 5, when they play there.

"It comes as quite a shock to hear that there's ground water contamination, it makes me aware and it kind of puts that in the back of my mind."

- HERALD ON SUNDAY