It’s been one of the coolest destinations in town since it opened on Friday – literally.

And next week, the public will get the chance to formally see the renovated Apolinar Sangalang Park presented to the community in a re-Grand Opening ceremony and ribbon cutting that is scheduled to take place on Thursday, September 15 at the site – located at 13470 Slate Street – at 6 p.m.

The park includes the city’s thirds extensive water play features.

According to Lathrop Mayor Sonny Dhaliwal, making sure the park was up and running – it was out of commission for more than a year – before the recent heat wave descended on the Northern San Joaquin Valley was a priority for not only him but the entire council as well.

“The community loves this park,” Dhaliwal said. “We wanted to open it sooner, but we had issues with the supply chain.

“It feels so good to see families enjoying it with their kids – especially during this heat wave.”

The site added a variety of state-of-the-art water features for kids including elevated buckets of water that dump water on those standing below as well as a traditional splash pad. A brand-new playground replaces the aging structure that was torn down, and other amenities including tennis courts will bolster the offerings for residents residing on the east side of I-5.

Because the sensors that were installed as part of the renovation weren’t immediately operational, over the weekend the park’s splash pad and water features continuously emitted water – which was collected as part of the water filtration and cleaning system and was subsequently reused to prevent waste.

The man for whom the park is named will also get some additional recognition as part of the renovation.

Sangalang, who in 1993 became the first mayor in America that was born in the Philippines, was a United States Navy veteran that served in World War II and was captured by the Japanese – all of which will be detailed in the historical marker that will include lighted American and POW flags that will be installed as a part of the overhaul.

The addition of the tennis courts mark the first time that residents on the east side of I-5 will have that recreational amenity – something that Dhaliwal previously said was a testament to the council’s dedication to provide recreational opportunities for all residents of the community.

To contact Bulletin reporter Jason Campbell email jcampbell@mantecabulletin.com or call 209.249.3544.