Lebanon School District has announced that the Lebanon High Cedars will play all of their football games on the road this fall due to possible soil contamination at Alumni Stadium.
In a public statement last week, the district said that “as a result of findings learned during the ongoing construction project at Lebanon Intermediate School … soil testing revealed unexpected conditions that require additional testing and likely remediation, which has forced an extension of the renovation timeline. As a result, the stadium will remain closed while these issues are addressed.”
The district also said that the new Cedar Sports Complex, located at Wilhelm Avenue, was not designed to host high school football games and therefore would not be an option. “The existing locker rooms, restroom facilities, and seating cannot accommodate events of this scale,” the district said.
In an April 30 email to LebTown, district superintendent Dr. Nicole Malinoski gave additional details and a partial football schedule for the upcoming season.
“After renovations at the middle school began, certain testing was done where metals were identified in the shallow soils at or around the area of the work site,” Malinoski said. “Such soil testing is now required in situations where soils are to be exported, as is the case related to the improvement/construction work now underway. The existing soils in question were largely covered by asphalt, concrete or grass/sod prior to construction activities.”
According to Malinoski, pre-excavation soil testing was not done because “testing is only required when soil is to be disposed” off site.
“Supplemental testing is now being done to determine the scope and extent of said findings, not only in the area surrounding the school building, but across the entire middle school campus, including the football field and stadium. Not knowing how long this testing will take, what the potential remediation may or may not require, the District felt it would be prudent to plan for the football field being unavailable for this upcoming season.”
Malinoski pointed out that “these type of soil findings are not uncommon in the Lebanon area,” and “can be found naturally across Central Pennsylvania.” She added that “it is premature to make any conclusionary statement about the extent or impact of these findings until more details are received from the experts involved.”
“The District is planning for the worst and hoping for the best as this testing continues. The decision to relocate football games has been a very difficult one, but necessary for the overall safety and well-being of students, staff and community until we know more.”
The school district has so far scheduled the following away games this fall:
- Friday, Aug. 22, vs Palmyra at Northern Lebanon.
- Friday, Aug. 29, vs Garden Spot at Garden Spot.
- Saturday, Sept. 27, vs Conestoga Valley at Annville-Cleona.
- Friday, Oct.10, vs Governor Mifflin at Governor Mifflin.
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