Residents in the city of West Covina were exposed to the dangers posed by a landfill that was operated and owned by the BKK Corporation. They tirelessly fought to have the landfill closed and finally they won in 1996. Due to the hazardous dump and the environmental problems in the site, the city held numerous community engagements in a bid to create a vision for the site. Questionnaires were filled by the nearby residents and a unanimous resolution to transform the landfill into a retail and office space with recreational services. This was the brainchild to a plan that sought to have the construction of open-air shopping Centre, office buildings, a baseball park and a golf course. After the approval by the residents, the process of actualization began as asserted by Ackerman and Peterson (2017).
The major downfall of the landfill was the threat it posed to the health of the residents who lived near it. Potentially dangerous gases such as explosive methane and carcinogenic compounds such as vinyl chloride had found their way into the neighborhood. This necessitated the eviction of the residents living nearby to areas of more safety. The landfill also had a massive impact on the water. The residues from the landfilled such as solid wastes, volatile organic compounds, chemicals and gases such as carbon monoxide found their way into the water systems. Incidences of diseases such as leukaemia and other cancers such as bladder cancers were frequently observed. The children were the most affected among the general population (Kelley, 2016).
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Therefore, the creation of the Sportsplex was a major relief to the residents regarding their wellbeing. The new Sportsplex created is not only a source of a good environment but also a source of economic growth considering the fact that the new structures are all business opportunities.
References
Ackerman, J. T., & Peterson, S. H. (2017). Tideline. New York.
Kelley, G. (2016). Los Angeles County Abandons' Worst First'Pavement Program. Pavement Preservation Journal , 9 (3).
