ROCK SPRINGS – Bunning Park will be the site of an upcoming Abandoned Mine Lands project aiming to fill mine voids beneath portions of the park and nearby neighborhood.

Don Newton, the administrator of the AML division of the Wyoming Department of Environmental Quality, said Mayor Max Mickelson asked AML to move the project up on its schedule due to shallow mine voids existing under the park. The shallowest voids exist about 30 feet below the surface, with voids ranging in depths between 30 feet and 75 feet in the southeast portion of the park. Deeper voids at depths ranging between 150 feet and 175 feet are located in the northwest portion. The park is undermined by the Rock Springs No. 1 Coal Mine.

“It’s actually been a project that’s been on our list for decades,” Newton said. “We just hadn’t gotten the approval to do it, and now we’re going to start this year and finish next year.”

Richard McPeek, the grouting project manager, said the project would impact Bunning Park itself, as well as Evans Street, J Street, K Street, Noble Drive, and two nearby city lots. McPeek said the project will be a larger one for the division, utilizing 35,000 cubic yards of grout material, with 12,000 cubic yards planned for use in the park itself. 

The project is set to start after Labor Day and continue to Nov. 15 to allow for holiday events in Bunning Park. Work would pick up again as early as possible in 2026, and work towards finishing the park by Memorial Day. 

“At that point in time, we will switch to the perimeter roads and get out of the park,” he said.

McPeek said the project won’t shut down the entire park, saying he realizes how much residents enjoy visiting it. Work areas will be set up in the park to allow AML crews space to fill the voids while letting residents continue using the park. The project also will involve an arborist to help target where holes can be drilled and ensure the work doesn’t kill Bunning Park’s trees. Many of those holes will be drilled at an angle to avoid damaging the park.

McPeek said AML realizes the department does a lot of work in Rock Springs and wants to ensure residents don’t get harmed from a mine void opening up.

“We know we’re here a lot and we know that we’re in the streets; we appreciate your patience,” McPeek said.