TUCSON (KGUN9-TV) - A sad, shocking moment of gun violence left six people dead in Tucson on January 8th, five years ago. Many more were wounded including then-Congresswoman Gabrielle Giffords.
One of the victims was just nine years old: Christina-Taylor Green.
A Pima County Park was named in her memory, but now that park is on its way to becoming a better, more joyful tribute to the little girl.
John and Roxanna Green say their daughter combined a playful spirit, and a spirit for making the community better. They're working to build even more of that into the park that bears her name.
The park near Shannon and Magee was special to the Green family long before it was named after Christina-Taylor Green. Her father John says it was a favorite place for the family to play.
"Being a place where Christina played with her brother Dallas, all throughout the wash here in the park and to have it close to home, to have a beautiful community park in her name. It feels good."
Most of the park is a long path along the CDO Wash but the Greens are working to enhance a section of land with family features like picnic tables, benches, and a trail that weaves through trees and plants.
One feature they know Christina would have loved is a garden designed to attract butterflies.
Her mother Roxanna says, “She drew this butterfly right here and she won an art contest in 3rd Grade for her drawing of a butterfly and she just always was fascinated with them and loved them."
The Greens think they'll need to raise about 85 thousand dollars in donations to upgrade the park. They hope about 20 thousand of that will be through social media like Go Fund Me so families can help create a park where they can build their own happy memories.
The Greens have been involved in gun control issues since the shooting that took their daughter but right now they want to focus on the effort to build the park into an even better place for families.
They will have a formal kick off Saturday at 10 am at the Park at Shannon and Magee.
