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ALTON – Two years after a mine collapse created a large sinkhole on the Gordon Moore Park soccer field, Alton officials are moving closer to resolving the situation.
Corporation Counselor Heidi Eckert said at the City Council meeting on June 24, 2026 that documentation of costs incurred by the city has been compiled and will soon be sent to an attorney for New Frontier Materials. She estimated the situation would be resolved within 30 to 60 days.
“It is moving along,” Eckert said of a “tolling agreement” between the city and New Frontier Materials. “Hopefully, it’s going to be resolved sooner [rather] than later. I would anticipate within 30 to 60 days.”
A “tolling agreement” allows both parties in a potential lawsuit to temporarily suspend the statute of limitations to allow for continued negotiations. The update came at the request of Alderman Chris Bohn, who asked for an update on the “status of the mine cave-in at Gordon Moore.”
New Frontier Materials operated a mine beneath the soccer field which experienced a cave-in on June 26, 2024. The incident caused a temporary closure of Gordon Moore Park as several events were canceled or relocated. While the park itself reopened in August of 2024, the section containing the sinkhole remains fenced off.
The City of Alton hired SCI Engineering as an independent consultant to investigate the site and develop a remediation plan. Drainage, testing, and other studies at the site have carried over into this year.
A full recording of the June 24, 2026 Alton City Council meeting is available at the top of this story or on Riverbender.com/video.
