Gill Street Park New Soil Tests Found High Levels of Lead

A park in Zebulon that families have enjoyed for years is now at the center of growing concern—and frustration.

Town leaders recently shut down Gill Street Park after new soil tests found high levels of lead. But here’s the part that’s raising eyebrows: records show this isn’t new information. In fact, testing from more than a year ago had already flagged not just lead, but also glass and arsenic at the site.

The park sits on what used to be a landfill dating back to the 1960s. Today, it looks like a typical neighborhood spot—with a playground, basketball court, and picnic areas—but underneath, there’s less than a foot of soil covering old waste like glass, metal, and debris.

Back in 2024, a soil report found concerning levels of several contaminants, including lead and arsenic, in different parts of the park. Follow-up testing in 2025 confirmed similar issues, even identifying areas where broken glass lined up with higher lead concentrations.

Despite those findings, the park wasn’t fully closed right away. Town officials say they followed guidance from environmental experts—blocking off certain areas and covering others with mulch to reduce exposure.

It wasn’t until more recent testing showed elevated lead levels again that leaders decided to shut the park down completely.

There are still a lot of unanswered questions, including why the land wasn’t tested sooner, especially since the town has known for about 20 years that the park was built on a former landfill.

Recent environmental reports also found a range of metals in soil and groundwater samples, along with traces of chemicals. While most groundwater results were within acceptable long-term risk levels, the findings add to concerns about what’s beneath the surface.

Now, the town says it’s working with environmental experts to figure out the next steps and how to make the area safe again. A community meeting is planned so residents can learn more and ask questions.

For many families, though, the biggest concern is simple: how something potentially dangerous went unnoticed—or unaddressed—for so long in a place meant for kids to play.