SHARONVILLE, Ohio — Construction at Sharon Lake is set to resume Wednesday, Great Parks announced.
Construction at the Sharonville park was shut down in early August after lime dust from the work drifted to nearby properties, coating their belongings. Lime mixing, which is used to make the soil more workable for the project, is kicking back off on Wednesday.
Ron Peake, a homeowner located less than 100 feet from the construction, told us it looked like it was "snowing" around his property.
"Not just dust, but actual flakes, like a snowflake," he said.
On Tuesday, Great Parks said it worked with the Southwest Ohio Air Quality Agency (SWOAQA) and the project's contractor, Prus Construction, to revise the work plan in order to reduce further "fugitive dust," or airborne dust that escapes the work site.
Going forward, the contractor is deploying a dust suppression machine that will spray water on the construction site as needed. SWOAGA is also installing two air-monitoring devies, with one at the construction site and the other in the nearby Golden Hill Drive neighborhood. There will also be regular visual monitoring for both dust control effectiveness and compliance with dust management practices, Great Parks said.
Another way officials hope to reduce lime dust is to work with lime in pellet form, which is heavier. Great Parks said this is intended to reduce dust in the air during the lime mixing process.
Lastly, Prus Construction has also established an insurance claim, and the company has been instructed to contact neighbors in the area.
Despite all the added measures, Great Parks said lime dust will continue to be a possibility from the project due to the large amount of earth — 50,000 cubic yards — being moved during construction. Great Parks said it will continue to communicate with the contractor to prevent as much lime dust as possible.
Another side effect of Great Parks' new plan is that the pellet version of lime also has the potential to act more slowly than the previously used lime. Great Parks said it will monitor this and any potential impacts to the project's timeline, which is extends through late 2025.
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