Path fix nears

You may have noticed that the area between the Technology building and the lake has been orange-taped for quite a while now. Physical Education students are having to jog through the building because of it.
What is the mysterious problem? The News-Register asked John Watson, director of facilities, to bring us up to date.

Two years ago, the lake was empty due to an enhancement program to make it more environmentally friendly, he said. During this program, there was a big storm. Because there was no pressure from lake water to support the embankment, the top soil eroded into the lake area, Watson said. The sidewalk area was also swept away, he said.

To restore the area affected by the erosion, the facilities department will need to dig approximately 12 feet down to the gray shale hard clay, Watson said. Once they reach that level, they can start putting down new soil which is more erosion resistant down. In order to make the area more stable, compacting machines will be used every three to four feet.

The funds for this project are being provided from the Dallas Community College District emergency funds, Watson said. Although the facilities department is about to resume work on the erosion in the next couple of weeks, Watson said the two-year delay in fixing the erosion problem has been due to several coordination problems and that the department wanted to finish the lake first.

Now that these issues have been addressed, Watson estimates the project should be complete by Christmas.

For those students who use the T- building, Watson said the building itself is not in any danger. It is set on 30- to 40-foot piers which are approximately two feet in diameter.
“It’s not going anywhere,” said Watson.