Photos: Dedication of Commons at Jordan Valley

Photos by Alex Stocksdale

The Commons at Jordan Valley is a public green space that serves as the eastern gateway into Jordan Valley. A gateway at National Avenue and Trafficway leads into the park which represents elements of cultures of SGF’s sister cities – Tlaquepaque, Mexico and Isesaki, Japan. National flags of all three cities are flown.

The site, of course used to be the quarry. For years, SGFers rumored what could be found in that giant glowing pool of abandon. We don’t know what lies below, and according to a press release from the city, the space was used frequently as a burial of sorts for trees with Dutch Elm disease. As a result, there’s a bit of methane reaching the surface.

A flare system has been installed to help mitigate methane gas … The amount of methane is relatively small, but is still significant enough to warrant the flame.

The project was funded through a Department of Housing and Urban Development Economic Development Initiative grant, secured by Congressman Roy Blunt. The U.S. Environmental Protection Agency and the Missouri Department of Natural Resources provided funding and technical oversight for the design and implementation the methane mitigation system.