Turlock residents will soon have a park unlike any other in town, complete with opportunities for both adults and children to exercise and play.

Ground was broken in the construction of Montana Park, located on Montana Avenue, in mid-May and according to lead project manager Randall Jones, the project is tentatively scheduled to be completed in August.

The park is currently in phase one of construction, explained Jones. When completed, phase one of the park will include a walking path, two large turf areas and benches. Currently, construction crews have finished pouring a majority of the park’s concrete, including the walking path and mow strips. Next, landscaping, soil and irrigation will be completed.

“We’re definitely looking forward to the completion of phase one, which will be a fairly basic design,” said Director of Parks, Recreation, and Public Facilities Allison Van Guilder.

Phase two will begin construction upon the reception of additional grant funding, said Van Guilder. The next phase of the park will include a fitness area with outdoor fitness equipment, a multi-surface court area for sports, a playground and picnic area.

“We’re hoping it will bring something new and also something for everyone,” said Van Guilder. “The concept is that you can come down with your family, and mom and dad can take a couple of laps around the walking trail while the kids play on the ground.”

In addition to the opportunities for exercise, Montana Park will differ from other parks around town in that it has been modeled to be drought-friendly. Rather than the open, green space concept that many Turlock parks have, the new park’s design plan was revised to include less turf and more drought-friendly materials, such as its tree and shrub perimeter. While there still will be grassy areas, there won’t be as much turf-filled space as other parks tend to have.

“The focus is more on activity rather than just open space,” said Van Guilder.