Just when it seemed Riverfront Park was on the way to being repaired and reopened to the public, the project hit a roadblock — the contractor struck oil.

While this may bring a chuckle to some people, the discovery could lead to some dire consequences for the city and county, which jointly operate and maintain the park, and for the park itself, if the contamination is more extensive and severe than the spot where the discharge was found.

Although Board of Supervisors President Richard George and city Public Works Director Garnet Van Norman recall an oil storage facility near the park, the cause of the discharge is yet to be determined, and the situation is being investigated by the Mississippi Department of Environmental Quality, which will develop the plan to remediate the site, clean it up and hopefully make the area’s most popular park safe for residents to use.

But the problem at Riverfront Park is an indication of an issue that city and county officials can potentially face in the future as the area grows and areas that may have been the sites of old plants or warehouses are removed and renovated for other potential uses.

The Siege of Vicksburg may have occurred 154 years ago, but people are still finding live Parrot gun shells and mortar rounds in the wooded areas that could one day be the site of a new business, industrial site, apartment complex, hotel or subdivision.

Old buildings like Kuhn Memorial Hospital and the old Mississippi Hardware building that once housed a manufacturing plant will have to be checked for asbestos, as will other sites that have been left alone over the years.

As we strive to improve economic development and try to attract more residents and visitors to our area, we need to pay close attention to our surroundings and make sure every effort is made to ensure we not only welcome visitors and business with open arms, but that we provide an environmentally safe community.

Riverfront Park’s situation is serious and the people responsible need to be caught and punished for their neglect. But is also a reminder that as we grow and develop we need to pay more attention to our surroundings.