REPORT: LEAD-PAINT BILL AT PARKS COULD GO AS HIGH AS $6.7 MILLION.

Byline: Rick Orlov Daily News Staff Writer

A new city report released Thursday estimates that it could cost up to $6.7 million to get rid of lead paint contamination if it is found at all 102 recreation centers across the city.

The report by the Recreation and Parks Department said it will look for funding from a variety of sources, but won't know the full extent of the problem until an inventory is completed by the middle of this year.

At the same time, aides to Councilman Mike Feuer said they believe that the department is overstating the extent of the problem as not all parks are expected to have a problem with lead-based paint.

Problems with lead paint were discovered at six recreation centers in December. Based on findings by Los Angeles County health officials, the city temporarily closed or restricted access to the six sites, including Travel Town in Griffith Park, the Sylmar Recreation Center and the Shadow Ranch Recreation Center in West Hills.

Officials said they expect to complete work today at five of the sites: the Sylmar, Shadow Ranch and Rustic Canyon recreation centers, and the Echo Park and Banning recreation and child care centers.

Work is continuing at Travel Town.

Those six sites posed the highest risk of lead exposure among 128 municipal parks frequently used by children, according to tests by Los Angeles County health officials.

Lead levels at those sites were as much as three times higher than allowed under county standards, the tests revealed.

Exposure to lead can occur because of peeling or cracked paint containing lead, although the use of such paint was banned two decades ago. Childhood lead poisoning can cause brain damage, learning disabilities and/or a loss in intelligence.