Southridge Sports and Events Complex facts for kids
Quick facts for kids Southridge Sports and Events Complex |
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The 9/11 Memorial at the sports complex.
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| Location | Kennewick, Washington, United States |
| Area | 52 acres (0.21 km2) |
| Operated by | |
| Status | Open all year |
The Southridge Sports and Events Complex is a huge park in Kennewick, Washington. It covers about 52 acres, which is like 40 football fields! This awesome place is right next to Highway 395. It's also very close to Southridge High School.
This complex has lots of cool spots for sports and fun. You can find baseball fields and places to play other games. There's even a special memorial to remember the people affected by the September 11 attacks. The park opened in different steps. The baseball fields were ready in 2011. The carousel, a super fun ride, opened in 2014. The big grand opening for the whole complex was in 2012.
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How the Park Started
It took about ten years to plan and build this amazing complex. At first, 42 acres were set aside for the park. Another ten acres were saved for future fun projects. In 2009, the city of Kennewick asked for money from the State of Washington. They wanted $12.5 million to help build the area. This money would help the area grow and create new jobs. The baseball fields were finished by July 2011.
The very first special event at the complex was for the 9/11 Memorial. This happened on September 11, 2011. It was exactly ten years after the attacks in New York City, Washington, D.C., and Pennsylvania. The event included a home run derby and other sports games. The big grand opening for the complex was in March of the next year. About 200 people came to celebrate.
Before the grand opening, the city council decided to add a historic carousel. This carousel was built way back in 1910! It used to be at the Silver Beach Amusement Park in St. Joseph, Michigan. After many years, that amusement park closed. The carousel was taken apart and moved to Roswell, New Mexico. A company called Gesa Credit Union helped pay for the carousel. It opened in 2014 after Kennewick spent $830,000 to fix it up.
Fun Things to Do at the Complex
The Southridge Sports and Events Complex has many places to play. You can rent these spots for your own games or events.
Outdoor Sports Areas
Outside, there are four baseball fields. There are also big fields for other sports. You can play soccer or other games there.
Indoor Sports Pavilion
The complex has a huge indoor sports building. It's about 30,000 square feet! This building is special because it's the only one like it nearby. It has full-size courts for basketball and volleyball. You can also rent this building for parties or other events that are not about sports. Besides the sports areas, there's a splash pad to cool off. There's also a place to buy snacks and drinks.
Gesa Carousel of Dreams
The Gesa Carousel of Dreams is a very old and beautiful carousel. It was built in 1910 and has been fully restored. It has 45 horses, and each one was carved by a famous artist named Charles Carmel. He came from Russia in 1883. The building where the carousel is also has a space for events. Up to 100 people can gather there.
9/11 Memorial
The 9/11 Memorial is a very important part of the complex. It has a piece of the wreckage from the World Trade Center. This piece is 35 feet tall and weighs 6,000 pounds! It was brought here from New York in 2011. The memorial stands on a 40-foot square base. There are two tall stone pillars on the base. They remind everyone of the original Twin Towers.
