The public park in Alton, which has been closed since a mine collapse created a huge sinkhole in late June, will reopen later this week.

Gordon F. Moore Community Park will reopen to the public Friday morning and Spencer T. Olin Golf Course will reopen Saturday morning, Mayor David Goins said at a news conference Wednesday.

“This is an important step for our community that allows us to return to the activities and routines that make Alton such a vibrant place to live,” Goins said.

The football field where the mine collapsed, leaving a first hole estimated to be 30 metres wide, remains closed during ongoing investigations.

An adjacent youth baseball and softball field, Field 1, will also remain closed for several weeks.

It was determined that the thickness of the mine cover was sufficient to support the earth’s surface and overlying activities in much of the park, Goins said.

But more work needs to be done to ensure the mine is safe for workers underground, said Justin Kleinschmidt, an engineer who works for the city.

“We have no concerns about ball field No. 1 at this point, but we did not want to publish it yet,” said Kleinschmidt.

Part of the Bluff City Stone Mine, owned by Maryland Heights-based New Frontier Materials, collapsed on the morning of June 26Shortly thereafter, the city closed the public park and the nearby golf course.

Since then, officials from the city, the company and the Federal Office of Mining Health and Safety have been investigating the underground mine to determine the danger to the wider area and the cause of the collapse.

The exploratory drilling has shown that the majority of the park can be safely reopened.

According to the mayor of Metro East and MSHA, a division of the U.S. Department of Labor, efforts to determine the official cause of the collapse are ongoing.

“MSHA’s investigation is ongoing and there is no estimated completion date,” the Labor Department said in a statement. “MSHA does not discuss the details of the ongoing investigations.”

Will Bauer

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St. Louis Public Radio

The federal agency’s preliminary theory is that a “old cave” in the mine, filled with sediment and mud over time and eventually collapsed, Goins said at a press conference last month.

The city has no estimate of when repairs to the sinkhole will begin or when they will be completed. There is also no estimate of costs or who will pay for the repairs. That will be decided after the investigation is complete, Goins said.

“We haven’t crossed that bridge yet,” he said.

Kleinschmidt, an engineer at Sheppard, Morgan & Schwaab, said the repairs could start from the top and work their way down to build a solid surface. How that ultimately happens is a decision for New Frontier Materials, he said.

While the investigation continues, Field 1 and the football pitch will remain closed to the public by surveillance cameras and security personnel.

The closure of the public park and golf course has left Alton residents frustrated and looking elsewhere for recreational opportunities. This summer, several youth sports leagues were held in nearby towns.

The 27-hole golf course has been working with an emergency crew in recent weeks to maintain the course. The operator estimated that the course spent $100,000 per month to maintain the facility during that period, the St. Louis Post-Dispatch reported.

“It’s hurt them financially and in turn it’s hurting the city,” said Michael Haynes, the city’s outgoing parks and recreation director. “That’s why it’s great to be able to reopen the Spencer T. Olin Golf Course.”

While Haynes and city staff are looking forward to reopening the park in time for youth soccer leagues in the fall, he and Goins acknowledged that some members of the public may be skeptical about returning to the park.

While New Frontier Materials declined to release a map of its underground facilities, the city released a map of its lease with the company. The leased parcels cover the entire park, the golf course and a section of land across the highway to the north.

“There are some concerns about returning, but we’re going to take it slow,” Haynes said.