Oxford’s sinkhole filled in, development planned

OXFORD — Oxford's infamous sinkhole is no more.

“It wasn't difficult to fill. We put big chunks of concrete in there and lots of rock and gravel with lots of mud. It took 700 loads,” said Mervil Rushton, who recently purchased the property from the Oxford Lions Club. “It was a big hole.”

The property had been vacant since August 2018 when a massive sinkhole developed between the community centre and the lake. The sinkhole, which grew to 32.6 metres by 38.7 metres before going dormant, sits on a strip of karst topography that is prone to sinkholes.

Rushton understands the risk but it confident it is now stable.

“We don't know if it's going to open up again, or if it's not, but we don't know if we're going to be here for supper. There are no guarantees in life,” he said. “All I ask is for people to be nice to each other and help each other. That's all you can do.”

Rushton said he had eyed the property almost from the time the ground opened up two years ago. Soon after the sinkhole developed, he reached out to the Oxford Lions Club and offered to move their community centre off the property to another location, but it never came to fruition.

When it was listed for sale several weeks ago, Rushton said he received a number of calls from people wondering what it would cost to move the building. He talked to the realtor and when he learned the property was going to go up for bid, he placed a bid with the initial idea he was going to move the building.

“When I looked at it, I decided there was something I could do with it and I took it upon myself to fill the hole,” Rushton said. “The property itself is a good piece of property. I know a sinkhole could open anywhere, and I don't think that property is any different than any other piece of property where these sinkholes develop. But I'm confident we've done everything we can. If the sinkhole comes back, I'll move the building out of there. It's not going to sink.”

He said he spent $10,000 for the property but estimates it could cost much more than that to fill the hole.

He has decided against moving the building and plans to redevelop the entire property. He believes it could be used as a residential property, although he would like to return a strip of land along the lake to the community so young people can swim there like they have for years.

The effort to fill the sinkhole generated a lot of onlookers until Monday, when the last load of fill was dumped, and he said the overwhelming majority of the people who spoke with him are happy he chose to fill the hole and try to do something with the property.

Oxford Mayor Greg Henley said he has spoken to Rushton and is happy to see the hole filled in.

Since it's a private piece of property he said it's not up to him to comment on what the new owner plans to do with it.