Residents of the northwest part of the valley will soon have a new place to play with the opening of the Polly Gonzalez Memorial Park. Adjacent to Kay Carl Elementary School at the intersection of El Campo Grande and Bradley Road, this five-acre park will feature a large turf area perfect for soccer. It will also include a splash water feature and a covered children’s play area.

The park will officially open at 6 p.m. on Thursday, August 17. The event will be filled with fun activities for the entire family including face painters and balloon artists. Entertainment will include air jumpers, mechanical calf roping and a performance by the Tony Marques Band. Memphis Championship Barbecue will be providing refreshments, while supplies last.

The park is named in honor of Polly Gonzalez, a local television news anchor and respected member of the local Hispanic community, who died in a car accident in March 2005. A garden and tile project in memory of Gonzalez will be dedicated at a later date.