Laying the Foundation: The First Steps in Building FHPS Aquatic Center

As construction begins on the FHPS Aquatic Center, important progress is happening below ground. Before walls can rise or water can fill the pools, crews must install critical infrastructure that will support the facility for decades to come. Work is underway as teams prepare the site for the building’s foundation — continue reading for a closer look at what has been accomplished so far.

Sitework continues on the site of the future Forest Hills Aquatic Center!

In the previous blog post, you learned that excavators were hard at work leveling the site and removing a significant amount of soil, about 3,000 truckloads to be exact! That process is now over halfway complete and is helping create the proper base for the future building.

Installing Essential Utility Systems

Most of the storm water piping is now in place, the water main has been relocated and is operational, and sanitary piping installation is expected to wrap up in the coming days. These underground utility systems allow the building to function safely and reliably. Storm water piping directs rainwater away from the facility to prevent flooding, the water main provides a dependable supply for daily use and future pool operations, and sanitary piping carries wastewater from the building to the municipal system for proper treatment, an important step before foundation work can begin.

Firm Foundations

Within the next week, footings will start to be placed (depending on the weather). A footing is apart of the foundation of a building. They sit at the base of a foundation that directly contacts the soil, typically constructed of reinforced concrete, footings are placed beneath foundation walls or columns, usually below the frost line. Footings are designed to distribute a structure's load evenly to prevent uneven settling, cracking, or sinking.

This work marks just the beginning of an exciting future facility for the Forest Hills community, and it’s only one of many projects happening across the district. Once winter weather subsides, several additional projects will begin throughout FHPS, including work at Ada and Meadow Brook Elementary Schools, three athletic projects, and improvements at Northern Hills Middle School. Be sure to watch for future blog posts with updates on these construction projects!