Plans unveiled for park to honor youngest Jan. 8 victim

TUCSON, AZ (Tucson News Now) - The family of 9-year-old Christina-Taylor Green met at the Cañada del Oro Christina-Taylor Green River Park Saturday morning to unveil a memorial sign. Christina-Taylor was the youngest person killed in the Jan. 8, 2011, shootings that left five others dead and wounded 13 people including then-congresswoman Gabrielle Giffords.

The Green family doesn't want to focus on the negative and instead has found a way for their daughter's personality to live on. They are teaming up with Pima County to transform a section of the park. Upgrades would include a seating area, a butterfly garden, nature trails and native plants.

Christina-Taylor's father reminisced about his daughter during the unveiling ceremony.

"The first thing she wanted to do was go out and play in the park," said John Green.

Friends and family said this park is something Christina-Taylor would have enjoyed.

"I think it was a great way to remember her because she was so active and sporty, so having a park in her honor is so perfect," said her best friend Jaime Stone.

But the Green family needs some help raising funds for the park. They estimate it will cost about $85,000 to do the renovations. They hope if everything goes as planned the park will be finished June 2017.

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