Survey stakes to show perimeter of school

By Virginia Ross

GREENFORD — The future site of the new South Range School Building will soon be marked, allowing area residents to get a better idea of where the structure is to be located, Superintendent Dennis Dunham said.

He said the wooden survey stakes will make it clear the building site is away from any areas the state has determined to be wetlands.

“I’ve gotten some phone calls from people concerned about the wetland areas,” he said. “They’re concerned that because there are wetland areas on the property, the building project could be stopped or delayed. But that’s not the case.”

Dunham said an initial environmental impact study of the property, done in 2007, found there were no significant signs of wetlands on the 60-acre site along Route 46 and Green Beaver Road, where the $38.3 million building is to be located.

A second study conducted later, however, showed about four acres of sporadic wetland areas throughout the site.

The superintendent said the Ohio Environmental Protection Agency must determine whether the wetland areas are isolated — in which case the earth cannot be disturbed.

He said the wetland area that causes the greatest concern is south of the proposed building site because the school district is hoping to use that area for athletic practice fields.

“The state has to evaluate exactly what we have here, and we’ll move on from there,” he said. “The important thing to remember is that the actual site of the school building will be north of that area.”

Dunham said surveyors are marking the perimeter of the building site within the next week, making it easier to visualize the positioning of the K-12 building.

Also, site testing of the property has begun, and a geotech test well, which determines the geothermal heating capability of the land, returned positive results, Dunham said. He explained that geotech wells, which are 405-feet-deep holes, provide a more efficient way to heat buildings.

He said the holes contain coils used to heat the water in the ground to the temperatures needed for the new facility. Dunham explained that because the results were good, the district should be able to drill fewer holes more closely together, using less property and possibly less money. He said testing for water wells also will be done soon.

The district is working with the Ohio Schools Facilities Commission to construct an all-grades building. The OSFC will pay $20 million, and district voters in May 2007 approved a 28-year bond issue to cover the local share of $18.3 million.

School officials have said they anticipate taking occupancy of the new building in 2010.