Forestburg Public Works was alerted to what looked like a sinkhole at the tennis courts on Monday, July 29.
Upon discovering the hole, and investigating underneath it, Forestburg CAO Dwight Dibben says, “It appears that an old water well that was unknown to us was located under one of our courts!”
He says it’s likely from around 55 years ago when there were residences on the property where the tennis court and swimming pool are now located.
“We suspect that whatever covering it had over it must have eroded or disintegrated over time, and with the well losing its cover or cap, repeated activity on the court overtop of the well caused the asphalt and other material under the court surface to gave way with the hole in the surface of the court appearing after our last rainstorm.”
Dibben says the hole itself is not quite a foot radius, and the diametre of the well underneath appears to be around two feet.
“This was definitely something we never expected to find under our tennis court!”
He says the plan is to get a vac truck in to suck out all the water, then fill the well with Quickcrete. The opening on the asphalt can then be resurfaced, and the court returned to service.
The tennis courts will be temporarily closed while the work is undertaken.
Leslie Cholowsky
Editor