Trainsong Park Soil Cleanup

The City is happy to announce that additional soil testing in areas identified as having high concentrations of dioxin contamination will begin on Friday, November 21st, 2025. This additional testing is to first confirm, with more granularity, the levels of dioxin present in various areas of the site. Once this is further understood, a second phase of testing will explore how deep the contamination may be across these areas. This information will determine the final design for the project scheduled for construction in 2026.

While the initial phase of testing will be limited to hand sampling by a few technicians, the second phase will employ machinery to test soils in contaminated areas in a grid pattern across the fenced off areas of the park. Once the scope and dates of this piece of the project are finalized, the City will update this website and reach out to our interested parties and partners with this important information.

We are also looking forward to the start of community meetings for the project in early 2026. Our first meeting will share information gathered from the on-site testing and answer questions about the proposed design and construction process. Later in the spring we’ll host a second meeting to discuss details of the project before it moves forward into construction. Your participation in these events is important as we need your feedback and concerns to be wrapped into the process and the design documents if and as appropriate. Look for more information here in the future and check out the updated FAQ’s for current information. If you have questions in the meantime, please reach out to staff and we’ll be happy to respond.

The U.S. Environmental Protection Agency has identified $1.526 million in Brownfield Cleanup Grant funding to the City of Eugene for remediation of Trainsong Park, where sections of dioxin-contaminated soil unexpectedly were found more than two years ago. Funding will be awarded upon completion of the final application step.

The City applied for the funds last fall and received word of the award this week. In all, the Environmental Protection Agency announced $9,806,874 in grants to expedite the assessment and cleanup of Brownfield sites in Oregon. Eugene’s portion will be used to replace much of the soil at the park as well as to develop a public involvement plan and conduct community engagement activities.

“We are so grateful for having been prioritized for such a significant amount of funding for the project,” said Emily Proudfoot, landscape architect with the City of Eugene. “It is exciting to know we are close to moving forward with this important remediation work and get this park opened entirely to the community.”

Soil sampling and testing at Trainsong Park led by DEQ during fall of 2021 identified elevated levels of dioxins in shallow soils. The source of the contamination at Trainsong Park is unknown and unrelated to J.H. Baxter, a former wood-processing facility about a mile away.

DEQ will help the city implement the cleanup, including removal of dioxin contamination from the park. Dioxins are a group of chemicals that are formed during industrial processes such as the bleaching process in pulp and papermaking. They are also present in some wood treating formulations and can be generated during the burning of organic materials, including wildfires.

“It is a point of livability to ensure all parks in every area of Eugene are safe for families to visit,” said Proudfoot. “We appreciate the partnership of Trainsong neighbors who offered feedback on this project both in the past and in the future.”

Formal government agreements must be finalized before funding is awarded and work can begin at the park. A rough estimate would have the remediation work beginning in 2025.

The City wishes to thank Congresswoman Val Hoyle, Active Bethel Citizens and Beyond Toxics for the support they offered in procuring the funding.