By Richard Meek
Contributing Writer

EDGARD – Despite differing opinions from the administration, St. John the Baptist Parish Councilman Art Smith is continuing to question the quality of the construction work at the new airnasium in Edgard.

Smith at one point even expressed a desire to possibly take legal action against the contractor, M. Slayton Construction of Metairie, for what he believes is subpar work. Smith claims the basketball court continues to puddle during heavy rains and the groundwork around the facility was not properly completed.

Although Smith was refuted by the parish’s legal officials concerning the lawsuit, he nonetheless maintains problems exist at the facility, which opened in July at a cost of approximately $500,000.

“I passed there today, and I could see water,” Smith said during a parish council meeting Tuesday night. “I’m really afraid something is wrong.”

However, parish Chief Administrative Officer Theresa Rodgers said she has viewed the facility herself and sent several staff members there during rainy weather and they all said water was not puddling. She admitted there previously was a problem with standing water on the court but the contractor returned and shaved down some of the surface, which she said appears to have stopped the water from gathering.

But Smith was not convinced, reiterating he has seen water continue to puddle on the court.

“That’s a fact,” he said. “We have a facility that if it rains people will run under there and get wet.”

Smith, who said the culprit might not be a faulty roof as he previously suspected, also complained of ruts around the facility, which led him to blame the contractor for faulty groundwork.

Parish President Natalie Robottom said the work is not shoddy and the ruts are being caused by citizens driving up to the facility. She said additional fill has been brought in to solve that problem.

Robottom said there is no water on the court, but because the facility has no walls some water can be expected to gather in other parts of the airnasium during heavy rains.

“We had a meeting with legal counsel and spent countless hours on this,” Robottom said. “We have done ample due diligence and continue to work with the architect.”

The facility, located at the West Bank Park Complex on River Road, includes an open-air basketball court and restroom facilities.