South Marion High School in Ocala, Florida, is facing unexpected complications just weeks before its inaugural football season. The newly constructed school discovered seven subsurface voids on its campus, with six located directly beneath the football field. If left unaddressed, these voids could develop into dangerous sinkholes.
To remedy the situation, the school district will inject grout to fill the voids at a cost reaching $672,000. Deputy Superintendent Ben Whitehouse explained that while soil sampling was conducted during the athletic field construction process, it was not as thorough as inspections performed for building structures. He acknowledged that the district exercised due diligence but failed to identify the problem early enough to avoid disruption.
The remediation project will significantly impact the football team’s season. Repairs are scheduled to conclude by October 29, coinciding with the final week of the regular season according to FHSAA regulations. Consequently, the team’s home games will be relocated to neighboring schools during the repair period. The practice field remains unaffected and available for team use.
Originally reported by Sports.yahoo →
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