The Park City School District has removed contaminated soil uncovered on the Treasure Mountain demolition site to comply with a local environmental covenant despite the Utah Department of Environmental Quality’s ruling that the material did not need to be treated as hazardous waste.

Colton Elliott, a spokesperson for the district, confirmed contractors began transporting soil piles to a landfill last week and completed the project on Wednesday afternoon.

“As outlined under state regulatory guidance and our approved site management protocols, any soil exceeding thresholds is required to be safely disposed of off-site,” Elliott said. “Throughout the removal process, the district continues to coordinate with the Utah Department of Environmental Quality to ensure all environmental and safety protocols are strictly followed, including ongoing dust mitigation and air quality monitoring.”

The Utah Department of Environmental Quality concluded a joint investigation with the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency last month into whether the site qualified for a hazardous waste exemption under state and federal law.

Whether waste is legally classified as hazardous or non-hazardous is important because specialists may be needed to clean and dispose of hazardous materials depending on the level of toxicity. Waste classified as non-hazardous may still have contaminants, but at a low enough level that it may be disposed of in a traditional landfill.

The contaminated soil, which had elevated levels of arsenic and lead, was uncovered by contractors on the property when the district demolished the Treasure Mountain Junior High building to create room for its new sports complex.

Dave Noriega with the Department of Environmental Quality previously said that heightened levels of arsenic and lead are to be expected in a historic mining town like Park City and that the presence of those materials does not necessarily pose health concerns to the local community.

“Perimeter air monitoring has consistently shown lead and dust levels below (Occupational Safety and Health Administration) exposure limits, meaning airborne exposure has not been a risk,” Noriega said in April. “Because the contaminated soil is properly handled and contained under the site’s safety plans, immediate exposure risks to the public are mitigated.”

The district qualified for a Bevill exemption, meaning it did not need to treat the soil as hazardous waste. The exemption may be granted for a variety of reasons, but it is likely the school district qualified because of the town’s mining history, as the exemption was designed to make removing industrial and mining waste at its point of origin easier.

However, the Park City School District was still required to remove and transport the contaminated soil to a landfill because of a 2017 environmental covenant it entered with Summit County.

The covenant was created after the Environmental Protection Agency discovered contaminated soil on the Treasure Mountain campus in 2014, which led to a federal investigation and cleanup in 2016. The school district filed the environmental covenant with Summit County the following year “to mitigate the risk to the public health, safety and the environment.”

The agreement included a provision requiring the school district to remove any materials that fail to meet Toxicity Characteristic Leaching Procedure thresholds, which is a chemical analysis to determine levels of toxicity.

The state’s determination allows the district to more easily dispose of the soil, but it does not mean the soil is not contaminated. The piles failed to meet the threshold outlined in the environmental covenant because of the heightened lead and arsenic levels, meaning the district must dispose of the material in a landfill instead of reburying it, as it has done in the past.

The Park City School District has not been fined for the contaminated soil, which Noriega previously said is reserved for “a significant violation, which has not occurred” in Park City.

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The Utah Department of Environmental Quality says the Park City School District does not need to treat contaminated soil on the Treasure Mountain demolition site as hazardous waste, but a local agreement with the Summit County government will require the soil to be disposed of anyway.

The state agency, which safeguards air, land and water, sent a letter to the district’s environmental consultant on June 12 stating it concluded a joint investigation with the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency regarding whether the site qualified for a hazardous waste exemption under state and federal law.

Whether waste is legally classified as hazardous or non-hazardous is important because specialists may be needed to clean and dispose of hazardous materials depending on its level of toxicity. Waste that is classified as non-hazardous may still have contaminants, but at a low enough level that they may be disposed of in a traditional landfill.

The contaminated soil, which had elevated levels of arsenic and lead, was uncovered by contractors on the property when the district demolished the Treasure Mountain Junior High building to create room for its new sports complex.

Dave Noriega with the Department of Environmental Quality previously told The Park Record that heightened levels of arsenic and lead are to be expected in a historic mining town like Park City and that the presence of those materials does not necessarily pose health concerns to the local community.

“Perimeter air monitoring has consistently shown lead and dust levels below (Occupational Safety and Health Administration) exposure limits, meaning airborne exposure has not been a risk,” Noriega said in April. “Because the contaminated soil is properly handled and contained under the site’s safety plans, immediate exposure risks to the public are mitigated.”

The letter said the district qualified for a Bevill exemption, meaning it does not need to treat the soil as hazardous waste, which often involves more extensive and costly cleanup efforts. The exemption may be granted for a variety of reasons, but it is likely that the Park City School District qualified because of the town’s mining history, as the exemption was designed to make removing industrial and mining waste at its point of origin easier.

However, the district still needs to remove and transport the contaminated soil to a landfill because of a 2017 environmental covenant it entered with Summit County.

The covenant was created after the Environmental Protection Agency first discovered contaminated soil on the Treasure Mountain Junior High School site in 2014, which led to a federal investigation and cleanup in 2016. The school district filed the environmental covenant with Summit County the following year “to mitigate the risk to the public health, safety and the environment.”

The agreement included a provision requiring the school district to remove any materials that fail to meet Toxicity Characteristic Leaching Procedure thresholds, which is a chemical analysis to determine levels of toxicity.

The Department of Environmental Quality’s determination allows the district to more easily dispose of the soil, but it does not mean the soil is not contaminated. The piles still failed to meet the threshold outlined in the environmental covenant because of the heightened lead and arsenic levels, meaning the district will need to dispose of the material in a landfill instead of reburying it, as it has done in the past.

However, the Bevill exemption will allow the district to remove the soil without classifying it as hazardous materials. If the soil were hazardous, the district would need to take it to a specialized facility and handle it with more care. Without the hazardous designation, the district may take the soil to a permitted Class I, Class II or Class V landfill, which is a cheaper and less intensive process.

Three Mile Landfill in Summit County is a Class I landfill, but a county spokesperson said that doesn’t necessarily mean the landfill will accept the soil, adding that it will likely depend on the dirt’s level of contamination.

The Department of Environmental Quality requested the district obtain a “letter of acceptance” from the landfill before disposing of any materials, in addition to providing a schedule “for the expeditious removal of stockpiled soils.”

The Park City School District has not been fined for the contaminated soil, which Noriega previously said is reserved for “a significant violation, which has not occurred” in Park City.

The Park City School District released a statement about the Bevil exemption and safety measures for the Treasure Mountain site on Thursday afternoon. The district said it met with the state’s enviornmental response and remiadiation team on June 17 to discuss next steps and its awaiting a response.

District officials added:

“The safety of our community is a top priority. We continue to follow the guidance of the DEQ and EPA, with a hired environmental consultant onsite to ensure that all safety protocols are followed. Additionally, we’ve been closely monitoring air quality on a daily basis to ensure it remains within safe limits throughout this process. Also, it’s important to note that the exposed soil onsite consists of clean soil that we brought in, further emphasizing our commitment to maintaining a safe environment. Furthermore, while regulatory requirements only mandated that one specific soil stockpile be covered, we chose to cover the remaining piles as a proactive, best-practice measure out of an abundance of caution.”

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The Utah Department of Environmental Quality has identified piles of contaminated soil on the Treasure Mountain Junior High School demolition site, but state officials have said there are no risks of airborne exposure at this time.

Documents obtained through a Government Records Access and Management Act request indicated that dirt piles on the school district’s property had elevated levels of arsenic and lead that exceeded the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency’s threshold for hazardous waste.

However, Dave Noriega with the state Department of Environmental Quality said heightened levels are to be expected in a historic mining town like Park City and that the presence of those materials does not necessarily pose health concerns.

“Perimeter air monitoring has consistently shown lead and dust levels well below (Occupational Safety and Health Administration) exposure limits, meaning airborne exposure has not been a risk,” Noriega said. “Because the contaminated soil is properly handled and contained under the site’s safety plans, immediate exposure risks to the public are mitigated.”

Colton Elliott, a spokesperson for the Park City School District, said construction crews have been following the state’s guidance regarding the dirt piles. Specifically, Elliott said environmental consultants on site have engaged in regular testing and soil management practices in collaboration with the state’s Department of Environmental Quality.

“While a portion of the stockpiled soils have tested hazardous above the contamination values, it has been stored and managed per the approved soils movement/management plan and best management practices,” Elliott said. “All current hazardous and contaminated stockpiled soil will be buried onsite within the required parameters and (Utah Department of Environmental Quality) oversight. In the interim, the soil is being stored in accordance with best practices as defined by the environmental consultant and the UDEQ.”

Noriega said the environmental consultant on site has been routinely testing soil samples to determine “the proper soil removal procedures,” which is how the district and state agency discovered the hazardous levels. He said no incident or violation triggered the testing and that the testing is mandatory to comply with disposal regulations.

The Department of Environmental Quality further determined the soil is safe to bury as long as there is a “six-inch clean soil cap.” Elliott said the school district plans on burying and capping the contaminated soil on site, with the state’s guidance, because it lessens the risk of exposure during transport.

Noriega also clarified that the district has not been fined or issued any infractions because of the soil.

“A fine or violation from the (Department of Environmental Quality) is only given when there is a significant violation, which has not occurred here,” Noriega said. “While it is not uncommon for an inspector to give guidance on best practices during a site visit, the district and contractors have strictly followed the site’s environmental covenant and soils movement plan.”

The Department of Environmental Quality will oversee the cleanup process through monthly site visits, and the district’s on-site environmental consultant is tasked with providing weekly progress reports to the agency. Noriega said that the school district will be responsible for the long-term monitoring and maintenance of the capped site once construction is finished.

The Park City school board in a statement to The Park Record said it appreciated the district’s “thoughtful approach” to the project, “particularly its strong commitment to environmental stewardship and safety.”

“In a community shaped by a legacy of mining, where soil contamination remains a pervasive concern, this level of care and diligence is especially important,” the statement said. “We appreciate the close collaboration with the Utah Department of Environmental Quality and other oversight partners to ensure all work meets the highest standards. Protecting our environment and community while advancing necessary infrastructure improvements remains a top priority.”

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The Park City School District will begin dewatering the Treasure Mountain Junior High School demolition site this month if the latest water samples show an acceptable level of contamination.

District officials in a press release said its contractors will mix chemicals into the four tanks currently housing groundwater on the property as soon as Thursday. The water will then be tested in the field, as well as sent to a lab for further analysis.

The testing process is fairly quick, with results expected on Friday. If the water’s contamination levels fall within the state’s permissible limits, then the dewatering work should begin on Monday.

“During this time, the … tanks will be emptied and water will be discharged, either to the storm drain or directly into the creek, adhering to approved permitting protocols,” the press release said.

The dewatering and sewer line repairs should take two to three days. District officials estimated the work will be completed by April 10.

“The duration will depend on chemical contact time with the water and other variables, including metal concentrations in groundwater and weather conditions,” the press release said.

The district emphasized that no water will be discharged until the lab’s test results are reviewed and confirmed to meet state standards. The district’s contractors, as well as the Snyderville Basin Water Reclamation District, will be on site to oversee operations and observe the repair process.

The school district has repeatedly claimed groundwater released into a nearby creek last fall was “non-hazardous.”

The Utah Department of Environmental Quality initiated an investigation in October after an anonymous tip reported the district’s contractors had dumped contaminated groundwater into Silver Creek on the east side of the demolition site. It was the second reported environmental issue on the property, with the district having already received a non-compliance advisory related to asbestos abatement.

The violation ultimately led to a $400 fine for the district and a $2,531 fine for Cripple Creek Consulting, one of the project’s third-party contractors.

To remove the groundwater on the site, the contractor installed a weir tank, which stores and separates sediments and other particles from groundwater and allows construction crews to control the water’s flow during discharge, according to an explanation of the incident from the school district.

The district said the tank was connected to a private stormwater system under the direction of the site’s prior environmental consultant. Contractors allegedly pumped hundreds of gallons of water into the stormwater system for multiple hours a day in September and October.

But the weir tank wasn’t used for dumping groundwater at all on Oct. 10, according to school officials. Instead, the contracting company chose to discharge the water directly into Silver Creek.

School officials in December could not provide answers as to why the tank was disassembled or why contractors opted to dump directly into the creek. The documentation and explanation provided by the district also does not include information on why the change happened.

The state’s investigation into the issue is ongoing, and the results are expected to be published sometime in the next few months.

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The Utah Department of Environmental Quality has fined the Park City School District and one of its third-party contractors for failing to update its asbestos management plan, violating air quality standards.

State documents obtained through a Government Records Access and Management Act request indicated the district and Cripple Creek Consulting and Environmental were both fined last month after an investigator discovered asbestos on the demolition site of Treasure Mountain Junior High School in October.

Specifically, the school district was disciplined for failing to update its asbestos management plan, and a notice of a $500 fine was sent to Todd Hansen, the director of buildings and grounds for the Park City School District, on Jan. 9. However, the district agreed to a settlement with the state agency, which reduced the fine to $400.

“Given the minor nature of the assessment, the district was permitted to redirect 80% of the funds into the state’s mitigation fund for future environmental use, reflecting our commitment to responsible facilities management,” district officials said in a statement Friday morning.

A similar notice was also sent to Cripple Creek Consulting in mid-January. The letter to the contracting company listed two violations — one for failing to identify the asbestos-containing material and another for not complying with the state’s sampling protocol.

Cripple Creek Consulting was fined $2,531, with a reduced fee of $2,025 if the business were to agree to a settlement. It was not clear as of Friday morning whether the contracting company had entered a settlement agreement.

“The monetary amount of the (Utah Division of Air Quality) settlement offer specified below is derived from a preestablished schedule of penalties, which takes into account, among other factors, the magnitude and severity of the violation, cooperation of the source, as well as the prior history of violations,” the state wrote in notices to both parties.

The letters additionally said the settlement offer was “intended to quickly resolve the non-compliance issues.”

“Failure to resolve this matter as outlined in this letter may result in this offer being revoked and/or having this matter referred to a formal enforcement process,” the document said.

The violations were identified by an inspector who visited the Treasure Mountain demolition site on Oct. 22, and state officials sent an initial non-compliance advisory to Cripple Creek Consulting on Nov. 4.

Cripple Creek Consulting sent a response to the state agency a week later, claiming the continued demolition with asbestos on the premises was the result of a mistake in previous paperwork. The company said an asbestos survey last occurred on Sept. 16, following an update to the district’s management plan.

The school district at the time released a statement saying it “takes environmental compliance and community safety very seriously.”

“Throughout the demolition process, a certified environmental specialist has been onsite every day to monitor conditions and ensure all works complies with state and federal requirements,” the statement said. “Licensed abatement professionals then completed the regulated removal process in full compliance with state oversight.”

District officials in November said the asbestos management plan was not properly updated because of a change in consultants once they realized the site required a full-time environmental site manager.

“Please understand that at no time did (Park City School District) or its consultants attempt to circumnavigate or display malicious intent to not follow procedure for abatement,” the district wrote in a letter to the state shortly after the issuance of the non-compliance advisory.

The district on Friday also reaffirmed its commitment to safety protocols and environmental stewardship.

“Upon discovering a potential asbestos issue in an area where no active demolition was occurring, Park City School District acted immediately to begin professional abatement and mitigation,” the statement said. “The safety of our students and staff remains our highest priority, and these proactive steps ensured the area was secured and handled according to strict safety protocols.”

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The Park City School District is continuing its work to demolish Treasure Mountain Junior High School despite the Utah Department of Environmental Quality’s ongoing investigation into alleged groundwater dumping.

District officials on Tuesday said they met with construction partners, environmental professionals and the Utah Division of Water Quality in early January to review how the groundwater encountered on the property should be managed. The water, which was found just outside the main construction zone, needs to be removed in order to repair a sewer line, which will connect to the new sports facilities.

The district’s contractor, Hogan and Associates Construction, in a press release said the Utah Division of Water Quality determined the groundwater “contains lead and arsenic at levels higher than what the (Division of Water Quality) considers acceptable for discharge back into the ground or nearby creeks.” State officials recommended the district obtain a specific groundwater surface permit to properly remove the liquid from the site.

In the meantime, however, contractors are able to continue with the demolition process by pumping the groundwater into four tanks, which will help the contaminated material separate from the water. The water will be stored in the tanks until the permit is issued, and the stored water will be sampled by an independent environmental consultant to determine its contamination level.

“Depending on the results of the water testing, an appropriate treatment plan, if any, will be presented to the state for approval prior to issuance of the (groundwater) permit,” Hogan’s press release said. “Once the permit is issued, the water will be treated, if necessary, and then discharged back into the ground, creeks or canals.”

The district is currently waiting on its sampling results and the permit.

The press release from Hogan and Associates Construction also touched on the previous discharge of groundwater into a nearby creek, saying the on-site environmental consultant sampled and tested the groundwater and reported it wasn’t hazardous.

“If the results of testing had indicated contaminated water, Hogan would have followed all (Division of Water Quality) guidelines, including obtaining a (groundwater) permit,” the press release said. “Moving forward, Hogan’s intention and plan is to strictly follow the state’s (Division of Water Quality) guidelines as described above. Hogan will work closely with its project partner, RMEC Environmental, to apply for the required permit and to consult on any environmental concerns that are associated with dewatering.”

The state agency initiated the investigation in mid-October after an anonymous tip reported the district’s contractors had dumped contaminated groundwater into Silver Creek on the east side of the demolition site. It was the second reported environmental issue on the site, with the district having already received a non-compliance advisory related to asbestos abatement.

To remove the groundwater, the contractor installed a weir tank, which stores and separates sediments and other particles from groundwater and allows construction crews to control the water’s flow during discharge on the property, according to an explanation of the incident from the school district.

The district said the tank was then connected to a private stormwater system under the direction of the site’s prior environmental consultant. Contractors allegedly pumped hundreds of gallons of water into the stormwater system for multiple hours a day in September and October.

But the weir tank wasn’t used for dumping groundwater at all on Oct. 10, according to school officials. Instead, the contracting company chose to discharge the water directly into Silver Creek.

School officials in December could not provide answers as to why the tank was disassembled or why contractors opted to dump directly into the creek. The documentation and explanation provided by the district also does not include information on why the change happened.

The state’s investigation into the issue is ongoing, and the results are expected to be published sometime in the next few months.

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The Utah Department of Environmental Quality is investigating the Park City School District for allegedly discharging groundwater from the Treasure Mountain demolition site into a nearby creek without permission.

The state agency initiated the investigation in mid-October after an anonymous tip reported the district’s contractors had dumped contaminated groundwater into Silver Creek on the east side of the demolition site. It is the second reported environmental issue on the site so far, with the district having already received a non-compliance advisory related to asbestos abatement.

The school district published a 14-page document on asbestos management, air monitoring and groundwater earlier this month following local media reports on the state investigations. In the document, school officials said construction crews unexpectedly encountered groundwater during an excavation, which “needed to be controlled to allow work to continue safely.”

The district employs a full-time environmental consultant at the site, who sampled the groundwater and allegedly declared it “non-hazardous.” The district’s report clarified that the “non-hazardous” definition does not necessarily mean the water meets drinking water standards or isn’t contaminated. Instead, school officials said the “non-hazardous” label meant the groundwater could be disposed of through “standard construction dewatering pathways.”

However, officials on Tuesday were unable to answer questions regarding the specifics of metals in the water, to what degree the water may have been contaminated or the levels required to receive a “hazardous” label during a Q&A session on the site’s environmental issues after the monthly school board meeting.

To remove the groundwater, the district’s contractor installed a weir tank, which stores and separates sediments and other particles from groundwater and allows construction crews to control the water’s flow during discharge, on the property, according to the school district.

The district said the tank was then connected to the district’s private stormwater system under the direction of the site’s environmental consultant. Contractors allegedly pumped hundreds of gallons of water into the stormwater system for multiple hours a day in September and October, a move senior project manager JD Simmons said was allowable under environmental regulations.

But the weir tank wasn’t used for dumping groundwater at all on Oct. 10, according to school officials. Instead, the contracting company chose to discharge the water directly into Silver Creek.

“Groundwater pumps were repositioned and connected directly to hoses that discharged water from the excavation area into a surface creek without first entering the settling tank or stormwater conveyance,” the district’s 14-page report said. “This bypass did not utilize pretreatment or sediment removal prior to entering the creek. The duration of this creek bypass was limited to the period in which pumps were running in the altered configuration. Once environmental oversight became aware of the bypass, the discharge stopped immediately.”

School officials on Tuesday could not provide answers as to why the tank was disassembled or why contractors opted to dump directly into the creek. The document also does not provide information on why the change happened.

Superintendent Lyndsay Huntsman, school board President Meredith Reed and Vice President Nick Hill expressed frustration with local reporting on the issue during the Q&A session, telling reporters and concerned parents that the district is also missing much of the information the public is requesting.

Huntsman said the district filed its own public records requests to obtain documents from the Department of Environmental Quality, but the ongoing investigation means those records are classified. She additionally implied the contracting company, which has since parted ways with the district, has been withholding information while providing that same information to reporters.

The few public records available, despite the investigation, seem to contradict pieces of the district’s explanation, though. In an email obtained through a Government Records Access and Management Act request, the environmental director of the contracting company warned the district and state officials about the potential fallout of dumping the groundwater.

The email was sent on Oct. 10 at 10:19 a.m., the same day the weir tank was allegedly disassembled and water was dumped directly into Silver Creek.

“Today, our onsite technician identified a surface discharge from the site into Silver Creek,” the email said. “As stated in writing at the beginning of this project, this type of discharge is not allowable. Upon further investigation, we identified that there has been a water discharge that went unseen since almost the start of the project.”

The environmental director said pumping typically ran from 8 a.m. to 4:30 p.m. during the week, with approximately 40 gallons of water pumped per minute.

“All groundwater must be captured, held onsite and properly characterized prior to discharge,” the email said. “Simply put, nothing leaves the site unless you brought it on there. … Since this is classified as a navigable water way of the State, and it is classified as a spill (or illegal discharge), the Coast Guard and the Utah Division of Water Quality are now also involved.”

The email additionally encouraged the district and its contractors to prepare for public backlash. Employees from at least two contracting companies were included on the email chain, as well as Simmons and Park City School District Business Administrator Randy Upton.

“PCSD — I recommend you prepare a statement for the press to release next week. Best to spin this our way versus waiting for KPCW and other locals to spin it themselves,” the environmental director said. “For all (owner, architect, contractor, subcontractor), please start preparing your statements now. We will all be answering for this.”

The school district has not been cited or fined for any environmental issues on the Treasure Mountain demolition site. The Department of Environmental Quality’s investigation is ongoing, and the results are expected to be published in early 2026. The results of the investigation will determine whether the district is fined, as well as next steps for any potential cleanup efforts, if needed.

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The Park City School District received a non-compliance advisory from the Utah Department of Environmental Quality earlier this month after an inspector observed asbestos on the Treasure Mountain Junior High School demolition site.

State officials on Nov. 4 sent the notice to Cripple Creek Consulting and Environmental, the third-party contractor the district hired. The letter stated an inspector visited the site on Oct. 22 and identified two potential violations, both of which were related to asbestos regulations.

The first issue was the district’s alleged failure to identify all locations and materials containing asbestos on the site. The second violation was “for failing to follow the sampling protocol” to determine whether the suspected “asbestos-containing material” actually contained asbestos.

Cripple Creek Consulting sent a response to the Department of Environmental Quality on Nov. 13, claiming the continued demolition with asbestos on the premises was the result of a mistake in previous paperwork. The company said an asbestos survey last occurred on Sept. 16, following an update to the district’s management plan.

“It was noted that the surfacing (asbestos) material had been abated,” the response said. “Before demolition had occurred to the asbestos-containing surfacing material, Cripple Creek learned that the material abatement note was not correct and immediately scheduled a full asbestos survey.”

The school district said in a statement on Thursday that it “takes environmental compliance and community safety very seriously,” adding that demolition in the affected area was “immediately paused” once the issue was brought to administrators’ attention.

“Throughout the demolition process, a certified environmental specialist has been onsite every day to monitor conditions and ensure all work complies with state and federal requirements,” the statement said. “Licensed abatement professionals then completed the regulated removal process in full compliance with state oversight.”

The district also provided a copy of its response to the Department of Environmental Quality, which further expounded on the paperwork discrepancies noted by Cripple Creek Consulting.

“PCSD has previously engaged and retained an asbestos consultant to author and update the asbestos management plan for Treasure Mountain,” the district said. “In planning for the eventual project and demolition, PCSD engaged a different asbestos consultant. The building was resurveyed and the asbestos survey updated. However, there existed some misinterpretation with the existing management plan and survey update.”

The decision to change consultants was due to the realization that the site required a full-time environmental site manager, according to the district’s statement.

The letter continued, “Please understand that at no time did PCSD or its consultants attempt to circumnavigate or display malicious intent to not follow procedure for abatement.”

The district initiated another asbestos survey on Oct. 27 based on the investigator’s findings earlier in the month. The survey showed the presence of asbestos in the boys’ east and girls’ west locker rooms.

The Park City School District added that it did not plan to sever ties with MOCA, its primary construction consultant, despite the violations.

“While the recent asbestos issue was certainly concerning, MOCA has worked closely with us to address it promptly, transparently and in full compliance with regulatory requirements,” the district’s statement said. “MOCA’s expertise, historical knowledge of our facilities and consistent support have been critical in keeping our projects on track while aligning with community expectations. For these reasons, and based on their strong overall performance, the district remains confident in continuing our partnership with MOCA.”

The district said it is “not expecting fines or penalties” based on its immediate response to correct the violations and called the non-compliance advisory “common in large-scale demolition projects.”

The statement additionally said the school has had an “active Asbestos Management Plan” since 1989, with required inspections “continuously documented.”

“Asbestos in certain areas of the building was already known and property managed under that plan,” the district said. “We will, of course, continue to monitor all aspects of project management carefully to ensure accountability and the highest standards of safety for our students, staff and greater Park City community.”

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The demolition of Treasure Mountain Junior High School is officially underway.

Crews on Monday morning began the first phase of demolition, which involves internal preparatory work, such as disconnecting utilities, installing fencing along the site’s perimeter, determining traffic patterns for trucks and staging equipment.

Full building demolition is scheduled to start the following week, on Sept. 29, with an estimated timeline of three to four weeks of work until completion.

The Park City School District previously outlined efforts to mitigate negative impacts from the construction site on neighboring properties, especially the nearby district headquarters and Park City High School campus. Those efforts include a water truck on-site daily to suppress dust, adding clean soil and rock to improve drainage for the future turf fields, “positively” pressuring nearby schools and the district office to prevent “outside air from entering the buildings” and the weekly replacement of air filters.

“For over 43 years, the school has been a cornerstone of the Park City community, educating generations of students and serving as a gathering place for countless events and memories,” the district said in a press release. “While these preliminary activities may be less visible than the physical removal of the building, they are essential to ensure a safe and efficient demolition. We honor the many students, staff and families who have been part of this remarkable history.”

The Treasure Mountain Sports Complex encompasses a redesign of Dozier Field on the western side of the high school, as well as the installation of multiple baseball, softball, soccer and lacrosse fields with turf and other updated facilities on the site where the junior high currently sits.

The new configuration of Dozier Field specifically uses the significant grade of the hill on the western side of the field to tuck support buildings underneath the bleachers. Concession stands will sit behind the seating area with a team room partially below ground level. Architects also proposed a concrete plaza space to the left and right of the press box.

Dozier Field is expected to hold between 1,700 and 1,900 people once the project is completed.

The school board last year approved parts of the athletic facility’s master plan, but taxpayers are not shouldering the cost of the project. Instead, the athletic makeover is being funded by a $38 million revenue bond over 20 years.

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If the walls of Treasure Mountain Junior High could talk, what would they say?

That’s the question Park City School District asked students, parents, teachers and community members to consider during a “Sweet Goodbye” celebration this week.

Dozens of people swept in and out of the junior high on Wednesday afternoon as part of an open house and final walkthrough ceremony, with the closure of the 43-year-old school coinciding with the end of the academic year and demolition set for the fall.

District administrators, longtime teachers and former students reminisced about the school’s history and the generational legacy it left on Park City.

“Treasures of the heart are the most valuable of all,” district Superintendent Lyndsay Huntsman said.

Huntsman acknowledged the history of Treasure Mountain — named for the silver mines in the area — as a middle school, an international school, and subsequently, a junior high. Later, the school became a “mine of a different kind” loaded with treasured memories of students and teachers. 

She expressed gratitude for the opportunity to mark the closing of the building as a celebrated institution in the community. People would come through the doors for class, to vote, to attend a play.

Former Treasure Mountain Junior High Principal Caleb Fine, who will become the new high school principal next school year, agreed. He reflected on the school’s unique spirit and educational approach. Teamwork defined the school, allowing relationships and positive attitudes to serve at the forefront of education.

“People don’t just work at Treasure, they treasure it,” he said.

In an interview with The Park Record before the event, Fine emphasized the school’s tight-knit staff made the building a special place that felt like a home away from home. The preteen students were at a unique time in their lives while learning to be adults — exuding a vulnerable maturity and sense of quirkiness. 

Treasure Mountain Junior High Co-Principal Isaiah Folau experienced that first hand as a student in the building. He can still remember lunch with friends, athletic competitions and a memorable history lesson about the “haves and the have-nots” from Kevin McIntosh. McIntosh, who died in a motorcycle accident in 2021, later served as assistant principal to Bob O’Connor at Treasure Mountain.

Folau said it’s been powerful to work alongside his former teachers as co-principal, which allowed him to create new memories with them as colleagues.

“The brick and mortar of the building is coming to a close, but those memories, those ideas, those experiences, they live,” he said.

Longtime administrative secretary Bev Pacal, the first face people walking into the junior high see, said the school’s closure has stirred up a lot of emotions, including nostalgia, pride and sadness. 

Pacal started with the school district in 1994 as a teacher’s aide before she was “roped into” the counseling office. Eventually, she moved to the front office and became an integral force in the building. Soon, she’ll transition to the front office of Park City High School for the 2025-26 school year.

Former Treasure Mountain Middle School librarian Heidi Matthews, the community relations specialist for the district’s Family and Community Engagement Team, said nothing much happened at Treasure Mountain without Pacal.

Many teachers who worked in the building said it was their favorite part of their careers because of the family-feeling that administrators fostered. Pacal said the staff took the time to get to know each other and spent time with one another outside of Treasure Mountain. That way, if something happened, they would be there to provide support on the inside. 

The students made the experience special, too. Pacal also noted that preteens are at a quirky time in their lives filled with self-discovery and identity. Treasure Mountain staff had a key role in helping the kids learn who they are and who they want to be.

The Park Record collected stories from community members about Treasure Mountain Junior High and how they feel about the closure. All responses were submitted by alumni:

• Juliana Duran Townes said she moved to the United States from Colombia when she was 11. Treasure Mountain Middle School, as it was formerly called, was her first experience in a school in the U.S. She vividly remembers living in Prospector and Park Meadows and walking to school with a Walkman between the years of 2003 and 2006. 

“I remember the school being so packed with students that I would be afraid standing in the hallways when the bell rang and students poured out of the classrooms. Another vivid memory was having to eat in the bathroom because it was better than being seen eating alone in the cafeteria. I do have fun memories of staying after school to play hide and seek with friends and drama class being so fulfilling and interactive.”

• Jonna Christison Sutterfield said growing up in the ’90s in a small town was epic. The group of kids and the memories they all made are hard to beat. Memorable teachers include Mr. McDonald, Ms. Bacon, Mr. Griffith and former Principal Dr. Brian Schiller.

“It was most of my elementary/middle school time. I attended 4th-8th and I have vivid memories of Dr. Schiller, the dark auditorium, Mr. Witt, school plays and growing up with the same people from Parleys Park.”

• Justin Olsen, of Silver Creek, said his formative years were spent at Treasure Mountain Middle School. He remembers the amazing rock music during the 1990s, which reverberated off the middle school halls. Olsen also remembers when his friend Robert lost his eye in a nasty ski accident in sixth grade. Robert was gone from school for around three months, and would pop out his glass eye in class.

“You could always count on seeing your friends, that girl you had a crush on and some killer meatloaf on Thursdays at our beloved Treasure Mountain Middle School.”

• Ingrid Jorgensen, of Park City, said Treasure Mountain was the place where she started to come of age. The teachers taught her how to advocate for herself and helped her grow up.

“My 8th grade year, the student body planned to play an April Fool’s Day prank on the administration. We all agreed to be late for class during 4-Red that day. The plan was spread through word-of-mouth and text messages. The school’s rule was that if you were late for class, you needed to get a late pass from the office. At the start of 4-Red that day, all the students in the school swarmed around the attendance office, asking for a late pass. The principal came out to see what was going on. When he realized this was just some April Fool’s Day tomfoolery, he simply said, ‘All right, get to class!’ and had good humor about it.”

• Angela Brandon said her time at Treasure Mountain taught her what it means to be there for a friend and how teachers would show amazing empathy to students who were having a hard time. Many teachers, including Susie Graves, Iris Durfee, Teri Wiss, made a lasting impact.

“I remember having band concerts in the lunchroom and even in the gym. I also remember lots of school dances that were held not long after school got out for the day. … I loved going on the Travel Study Trips! The years I went, one trip was to Washington D.C. and Philadelphia and the other was to New York City and Boston. I also loved Band with the late Mr. Hunhky, and the late Jim Santy.”

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