Cathedral City’s Dream Homes community is getting a new park. Here's what its name means

The new 7.5 acre park opening in Cathedral City’s Dream Homes neighborhood next year will be called Esperanza Park.

Esperanza Park was previously referred to as Dream Homes Park, but that was only a placeholder and for the city’s use in grant paperwork. The City Council unanimously approved the permanent name for the park on Wednesday. “Esperanza” means hope in Spanish.

The park is east of North Gene Autry Trail and north of the Home Depot shopping center on Ramon Road. Cathedral City held a groundbreaking ceremony for the space in April, and construction is set to be complete in March 2025.

The project is being funded through a $8.49 million grant, which California State Parks awarded the city as part of a program aiming to build parks in underserved areas.

How was the name selected?

A subcommittee in the Parks and Community Events Commission worked on reaching out to residents in the Dream Homes neighborhood to get their input on what the park should be named. This included going around the neighborhood and sending out a mailer.

Agua Caliente Elementary School students also gave suggestions via an assignment.

Esperanza Park was the most popular name, followed by Cathedral City Park, Agua Caliente Park and Dream Homes Park.

The commission ended up suggesting three names for the council’s approval in order of preference, which was Esperanza Park at the top of the list, then Cathedral City Community Park and lastly Pathway Park.

Why choose Esperanza Park?

During public comment, Evett PerezGil said the park is something the community has long hoped for, and it deserves to have a name that shows their resiliency. PerezGil is a Dream Homes community member and the representative for the Desert Healthcare District in the area.

“I think that this would mean a lot for the community if it was named Esperanza Park because it’s something that comes from all the generations of the people that have lived there ... (who) had struggle, that have (come) ahead, that have lost their people to gun violence or to other things,” PerezGil said. “This is something that they want, and it's come full circle through hope. Through hope of a community that has been able to stick together and build resiliency.”

Erin Hyland, chair of the Parks and Community Events Commission, said the commission put a lot of time and effort into thinking over the name.

“When you hear Cathedral City is where art lives, now with this park — Esperanza Park — it's where hope lives too,” she said.

Ani Gasparyan covers the western Coachella Valley cities of Desert Hot Springs and Cathedral City. Reach her at ani.gasparyan@desertsun.com.

This article originally appeared on Palm Springs Desert Sun: Cathedral City's newest park has a name filled with significance