Grand opening of North Shore Community Park

Nereida Montes walks around the newly constructed community park in North Shore remembering her childhood. In the meantime, construction workers pace around the area making the last touches to park so it is ready for the grand opening.

“It’s a huge deal,” Montes said. “I moved here when I was nine years old, and we didn’t have anything to do.”

Montes works for Kounkuey Design Initiative, a non profit and community development organization that helped design the park. She could not be more excited about the construction of the North Shore Community Park.  

“I went on the seesaw and thought, ‘oh my gosh, this is going to change everything,’” Montes said. “I remember having to go to La Quinta or Coachella to use the park.”

After research and community forums made in the lapse of five years, organizers found that a park would help address economic, recreational and environmental issues. The park is owned by the Desert Recreation District and funding was brought in thanks to a bill pushed by assembly member Eduardo Garcia.

“It’s a space where people can come and sell their homemade goods, it’s a place where kids will be able to rent bikes and that way have transportation for all of North Shore,” she said.

The park mirrors elements that distinguish North Shore. For example, the colorful shaded area mimics a Mexican serape or shawl, which represents the heavily Latino population in North Shore.

“There’s glyphs incorporated of the Salton Sea, of pelicans, of desert animals such as rattle snakes, of some of the agricultural work that the community does,” Montes said.

Kids around the neighborhood can not wait to play in this brand new playground and skate park.

“As soon as it was done, they wanted to use it,” she said.

The official ribbon cutting ceremony will be on October 12, 2016 at 6 pm at the North Shore Community Park. Organizers say there will be food, skate demonstrations and musical performances to celebrate.