- Construction of three new businesses across from Santa Fe High School caused flooding that damaged the school’s softball field and facilities.
- The school district is testing the field for mold and working with water management and FDOT to find a permanent flood solution.
- Community members demand accountability from developers as flooding threatens volunteer efforts and the upcoming softball season.
Rather than focusing entirely on preparing for a state championship run, Santa Fe High School softball sophomore Rylee Swilley is worried about whether the school’s field can withstand weeks of flooding—and the threat of more rain.
The former No. 1 freshman pitcher in the nation told Mainstreet that the softball field started flooding after construction broke ground a few months ago on three new businesses coming to Westside Commons along US Highway 441 in Alachua, across the street from the high school. The businesses include Heartland Dental, Dutch Bros Coffee and Chipotle.
Swilley said she and her mom drove by the fields one day during a rainstorm and saw it filling up. They came back that night to find the complex completely flooded…