Gonzalez Park undergoes significant redesign

After nearly half a year, structural improvements being made at a park named for Cuban immigrant and bus i ness leader Sara J. González are almost complete.

T he fo r mer Coronet Way Park was renam ed for González in 2009 after her death the year before. González, who was founder of the Hispanic American Center for Economic Development, and served as president and CEO of the Georgia Hispanic Chamber of Commerce, was well-respected in the community.

Planners broke ground to redesign Sara J. Gonzalez Memorial Park in May. The project includes improve- ments such as wheelchair-accommodating sidewalks, a community plaza and new playground structures for children of all abilities.

A ribbon-cutting ceremony to unveil the revamped park is scheduled for Tuesday, Oct. 9, at 11 a.m.

The park’s renaming effort was spearheaded by González’s daughter, Isabel González-Whitaker. The journalist was recently named the 2018 Cox Conserves Hero by The Trust for Public Land and Channel 2 Action News, a Cox Enterprises company. Cox Enterprises also owns The Atlanta Journal-Constitution.

The program, which honors environmental volunteers, awarded González-Whitaker with a $10,000 donation to the nonprofit of her choice, Park Pride. If chosen as the National Cox Conserves Hero, a competition between the winners in eight markets, she’ll win another $50,000 toward a nonprofit. Votes can be cast until Oct. 15 at coxconservesheroes.com.

ALYSSA POINTER/ALYSSA.POINTER@AJC.COM Isabel Gonzalez Whitaker speaks in May during a groundbreaking ceremony at Sara J. Gonzalez Memorial Park, the first park in Georgia named after a Latino.