Orange County to repair leaning concrete wall thanks to resident's persistence

ORANGE COUNTY, Fla. — A resident's persistence lead Orange County commissioners to approve funding for the repair of a leaning concrete wall in the Pine Hills neighborhood.

Achille Helligar said he alerted Commissioner Victoria Siplin to the dangerous wall at North Hiawassee Road and Laurel Hill Drive in March 2017.

"My biggest worry is that it will come down one day, and children will be passing," he said. "That would not be good."

At first, Siplin suggested that Hiawassa Highlands Homeowners Association apply for a grant that would provide up to $20,000 for the repair, Helligar said.

But after assessing the damage, county workers said the grant wouldn't be enough to pay for the $80,000 repair, so commissioners voted to raise the maximum amount of the grant this week.

"Kudos to Commissioner Siplin," Helligar said. "She was proactive."

The Orange County Public Works Department said crews will replace a section of a nearby wooden fence, remove four trees, stabilize the soil in the area and reconstruct the wall.

There is no timeline for when the project will be completed.

Cox Media Group