Spent a day shooting photos in Iron Horse Park, an aging, rusting, decaying brown site -- a place contaminated by hazardous waste -- in Billerica, Massachusetts. All I could think of was the parents who must worry about the air their children breathe and the puddles they jump in. And what about all the lost opportunities, lost jobs and lost quality of life from the environmental hazards left behind. At first I hesitated to share the location because this site is posted and there is no parking, no stopping.
The Iron Horse Park site, a 553-acre industrial complex, includes manufacturing and railyard maintenance facilities, open storage areas, landfills, and wastewater lagoons. A long history of activities at the site, beginning in 1913, has resulted in the contamination of soil, groundwater, and surface water. An asbestos landfill is located at the site adjacent to the lagoons area. Middlesex Canal runs along the length of the northern boundary and is drained by Content Brook, which runs through residential areas into the Shawseen River east of the site. Richardson Pond lies north of the site and is also drained by Content Brook. An unnamed brook, which runs northerly through the site near wastewater lagoons, drains into a marshland near the asbestos landfill.
Approximately 61,000 people live within a 3-mile radius of the site. There are four day care centers or nursery schools, two housing units for the elderly, and a walk-in clinic in the area. A trailer park and condominium complex are located within 1 mile of the site.
Instead of closing this off to the public, perhaps there should be bus tours and school trips to places like this. We need to remember and learn from our past sins as a society so we don't make the same mistakes.
If you decide to go here, please exercise abundant caution for your personal safety.
The individual photos may be viewed on Flickr: http://www.flickr.com/photos/thebeachsaint/sets/72157628072006002/
Fair Use Notice
"Iron Horse" Is A Public Service Production
This non-commercial video contains copyrighted material the use of which may not have been specifically authorized by the copyright owners. This video is made to advance the understanding of issues of humanitarian and political significance using criticism and commentary. The creator of this video believes this constitutes a "Fair Use" of any such copyrighted material as provided for in section 107 of the US Copyright Law. In accordance with Title 17 of that section this video is distributed without profit to those with an expressed interest in its content. Please write: kate@katehannon.com with you questions or concerns.
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WHEN HORSES BITE 3 Some warning signsby chappysmom87714 views
youtube.com/watch?v=E4Kl4q43okA
Movie tells more than words
agareef1 1 month ago