SSHS back field poses no threat

South Side High School’s latest parking woes could soon be over.

The state Department of Environmental Conservation has agreed with the school district’s environmental firm that the back field, which is contaminated with lead in some spots, does not need to be completely remediated. The decision means that the construction equipment, which is current stationed in the SSHS parking lot, could soon move to the field and free the parking spots.

“It will probably be within the next month or so,” said Superintendent Dr. William Johnson of when the equipment will move. “There still has to be work done on the field itself to prepare it to accept the weight of all the equipment.”

During routine testing of the field over the summer, it was discovered that some parts were contaminated by lead. Further testing showed that all of the contaminated soil was one to three feet below the surface.

Before the equipment can move, the field has to be prepared to hold the weight. “We can’t just push people onto a dirt field without creating a bigger problem,” Johnson said.

The top six inches of soil are going to be carefully removed and an underlayment will be put down to hold all the soil. All of the construction equipment and supplies will be fenced into the field.

When the two additions to the high school are completed, most of the equipment will be removed. Then the back field will be laid with artificial turf as well. That work is most likely a minimum of three years away.

“It’s going to be used as a practice field,” said Johnson. “It’s going to be renovated, and it’s going to look very similar to the football field.”