Hole in ground at Columbus elementary school finally filled after community questions

Last Fall, a deep hole appeared on the grounds of Johnson Elementary School in Columbus, almost like a sinkhole you might find in Florida.

As the months passed, the hole widened.

Then someone strung caution tape around the hole. However, the hole remained open and a possible danger.

Curious Columbus, made aware of the situation, recently started inquiring about the hole as to how it got there and who was responsible for fixing it. And hours after a schools official provided a statement, the hole was fixed.

The saga began in October when Ledger-Enquirer photo journalist Mike Haskey said he noticed the hole at Johnson Elementary School.

Located in a field off 38th Street behind the school near the faculty entrance, the hole’s appearance was in connection with a storm drain, Dr. Travis Anderson, Muscogee County School District chief of operations, told the Ledger-Enquirer in an April 24 statement.

The hole was roped off with caution tape by unknown community members, Anderson said in the statement, so he cannot verify when the hole first appeared.

Haskey first saw the hole Oct. 12, not long before it was roped off.

As the months passed, the hole widened. The danger to Johnson Elementary School students was limited because the field is not regularly used by the school, Anderson’s statement read. But the field is used by the community for recreation.

Since the hole is located on Muscogee County School District property, correcting it was the responsibility of the school district, Public Works director Drale Short told the Ledger-Enquirer.

By Spring 2024, the hole significantly grew in both depth and width, as seen in photos taken by the Ledger-Enquirer on March 27.

The L-E first reached out on April 2 via the school district’s communications email asking for more information for Curious Columbus. However, the district was out on Spring Break, so the L-E reached out again later in the month before getting in touch and receiving Anderson’s statement around midday on April 24.

School district officials investigated the hole to determine the best course of action and identified a resolution, Anderson said in his statement.

“(The hole) will be addressed in a manner which allows for storm water to be properly processed and allow for community recreational use of the field,” he said.

After asking follow up questions regarding the timeline of the hole and measurements, Kimberly Wright, Muscogee County School District director of communications, informed the Ledger-Enquirer on April 25 that the issue of the “small hole” was now resolved.

A reporter visited the site and verified work had been completed since the Ledger-Enquirer began inquiring about the hole in April.

Have you seen anything weird around Columbus or have a question you’d like to be answered. Submit your question and any relevant information to Curious Columbus to have a Ledger-Enquirer reporter find an answer for you.