for its parks, but not everyone has easy access to green spaces.

>> This is especially true for predominately Latino neighborhoods.

Data from the threat Trust for Public Land's tells us that Latino communities have 41 less percent access.

And the average Chicago in a collaboration between borderless magazine season on the Binion.

and Inside Klayman News details the issue in a series of new reports.

Joining us to explain more are let's see what low of c settle and even the in thing I that leak on borderless magazine infallible, the public health professor at the University of Illinois-Chicago.

Thank you all for joining us.

So let's dive into this work.

Leslie, I want to go with you.

You're reporting focused on a new park being built and that's caused quite a local controversy.

Tell me what used to be there and what you found.

Alarming as ability Park is set to be built there.

>> Yes, so the site blakeslee factoring.

So it's been there since the early 20 th-century.

So it's been there for many years and it's become like different things.

Different industries like a factory for Dorian manufacturing.

Even the town uses it for construction projects.

So there is a lot of materials that were found to abandon Butte vehicles and just like remnants from the site that we're just left like tree tree trunks everywhere.

And and one of the findings from consultants from 2009 to 2011, the found that there were a lot of hazardous contaminants like lead and arsenic among other contaminants including the groundwater groundwater like vinyl chloride, which is like a gas that is used for plastic production.

So a lot of different things that were found on the site that where has hazardous people's And Philip?

>> You expressed concerns over the cleanup of ability Park.

You know what's the issue with the way the site is being cleaned up?

We know that the town is following protocol but there, but is there a safer approach to Right?

Thanks, Jenna.

>> I mean, I'm so proud to be here and I want to recognize the idea that they are following the law.

And so I think the big issue here is not the site itself is that procedure is detail by the legislation already and the community is not happy with it.

>> And want to go to you in.

You reported on Environmental justice advocacy in Brighton Park, which is now the park's district's headquarters.

Can you tell us about the efforts it took to bring a 17 acre Park, the neighborhood?

It was known as a park desert.

>> Yeah, it was known as a park to serve for a few years.

Thanks to a lot of advocacy and media attention that the community got and and what resulted of that was a renovated part of the only part that they had there.

But then years later, the Chicago Park district decided that they wanted to be based out of a community that.

What's lacking in these green spaces.

And so they were headquartered out of there now since last year.

>> Well, what would you say from like the most interesting about this whole procedure?

>> And I think it was really interesting that it took that much from the community to get that attention.

It was a lot of it seems going to meetings campaigning, knocking on doors.

So it really to take a years long effort to get that to happen.

>> And Leslie going back to ability Park as mentioned.

It's being built on a site with hazardous material underground.

What would you say are some potential risk factors that you found?

So arsenic was about residential levels and stead of removing arsenic from the site.

>> They're going average arsenic.

And so they're not going to do a complete removal.

And that's extremely toxic.

Come children can ingest that.

And, hey, like if you had to describe it to someone on it's like an invisible particles that's underneath the soil.

it leads to like cancer like lung cancer and other defects.

So it's definitely a concern for residents for children who will be playing in the park and who are already at back at school and it's going to be built next year.

Arsenic is definitely concern as well as lead.

Even though the EPA says that there can low percentage of lead the risk of exposure is prevalent and the site and even the groundwater and and Philip, how does something like this happen?

>> The reality is is, you know, our laws haven't really changed for a long while.

And the violations to those laws, those permitting regulations don't have dire consequences for the industries that pollute and so they can continually as millionaire and billionaire industries pollutes get a fine and then just pay it.

Pennies on the dollar because they can take everyone to court.

And, you know, that's tax paler para dollars every single time.

So again, the reality is we need to change the legislation and it has already been tried 2 separate times, 4 zoning around environmental justice.

Thinking about those areas and has failed twice to think about cumulative burdens that mostly plague black and brown communities and talking about that.

And why is there such a disparity in green spaces in black and brown communities compared to white neighborhoods?

I know.

>> The you've done a lot of data work on this.

Yeah.

So we can see very clearly that Sokaogon was segregated and along those lines at segregated by economics.

And so working class people tend to be closer to where they work.

And so when we think about the history, that's great.

You know, the past is set in stone, but from now on our children need fresh air.

And it's not it shouldn't be a function of where you live, especially when the new Illinois Constitution said that everyone should have fair and distributed exposure to environmental hazards.

are your thoughts when you yeah, I think what your story told us is that, yes, well, greenspaces matter and parks matter how we go about it is very important.

So >> what is already there?

What is it surrounding who lives around?

And so those considerations are really important to to other than less just plant more trees.

Yeah, and I want to talk about Little village because you're also your work also highlights work done in Little Village levee that like Brighton Park is a Heat island.

Can you explain what that is and how that happens in a city like ours?

Yeah.

In certain parts of Chicago, large parts of Chicago are just rarely hotter than other parts of the city.

And this due to just the built up of a lot of buildings, concrete and lack of green spaces and trees.

And so what happens this place is that used to be redlined.

Now we're not investing as much when it comes to green spaces and trees.

And so we're still seeing those communities trying to catch up so that those temperatures can come down.

But Brighton Park Little Village and a lot of other communities in the Southwest still have a long way to go.

was your process like trying to talk to people?

Were they all that they knew about what was a prop?

The journey like?

>> Unfortunately, we're doing engagement for the story and a lot of residents were shocked.

When we talk about that, the plans for the pike.

>> because they live very close to the park like a block away and they were not The only way that project was told to the public was through a newspaper called along Daily News.

And unfortunately, the community does not read that paper.

And and then the town board meetings are held very early.

It's impossible for residents to come.

They're at work.

So there's just no communication between officials and the community.

Would you say that people when you spoke with them that they did care about what's the were concerned?

>> About the contaminants when we told them what we found on the did not feel safe to send their kids to go play there.

And there's definitely they definitely want talk to officials in the future and ask for a new park features and more safety features as well.

So yeah, the residents are not informed about this.

County says this is being built next starting next year.

Phillip, can people do anything about or is it kind of set in stone?

>> I would say the best thing that they can do is organize rate, getting awareness out there and getting out legit fully and accurately much of what we find is that what is told right to communities is not legible to communities.

And there is also no stipulation in the law that has to You talk about policy change.

How can people get involved?

Right?

So talk to your political officials about the regulations where industry is allowed to keep their permits after they have violations.

I don't know any other profession that would allow the being violated so much at a city.

And the regional level and still be Boyd.

And so work is the first.

Is there some frustrations that you Yeah.

Well, I think about the children, right eye work with the community members, particularly in the southwest environmental Lions and it's their children.

It's their brothers, sisters, mothers, Cousins.

And so if you can't recognize that it's the children inhaling this air while permits are being negotiated, you're putting profit over people.

>> And a lot of people might hear this story and say so, you know, you can just travel to another another park, another area, another neighborhood.

It was it important for people to have access to these parks?

Yeah, it's important for everyone to have access to parks because >> these are community These are places where you've got to strengthen community ties.

You got to get to know your neighbor a little bit better.

You get to be more physically active.

And so if you have to drive farther way to do that, that's another barrier.

And so literally makes or breaks a community when it comes to