BRISTOL, Tenn. (WJHL) – Knoxville’s Legacy Parks Foundation, a nonprofit organization, has received a $10 million private endowment aimed at building a playground in Steele Creek Park, Bristol, TN. This project is in honor of Catherine “Catie” Dunn, a mother of three from Bristol, who lost her battle with cancer at age 30.

“Catherine was an extraordinary individual, and this project will truly highlight her love for Bristol as well as her devotion to family,” remarked Mike Mains, the Director of Bristol’s Parks and Recreation department.

Since Steele Creek Park was Catie’s favorite spot, it was a natural selection for the location of her park. The Dunn family, along with Director Mains, aspire for it to be the finest playground in Tennessee.

“When you look at all the features that Steele Creek Park has, the beauty, the trails, the fishing and various things you can do here, bringing this to Bristol, to Steele Creek Park is really special,” Mains said. “And it’ll be one of the best facilities in the entire state.”

Carol Evans, the Executive Director of the Legacy Parks Foundation, highlighted that the endowment is designated to be used to create a play space for all Bristolians to enjoy.

“The idea is really creating, kind of telling the story of a young woman who was raised here,” Evans said. “And what she enjoyed and make it very, very playful and fun for kids of all ages.”

The playground will have special features to honor Catie’s life.

“Her favorite color was purple,” Evans said. “She loved daisies. She loved camping. She had a favorite stuffed bear. So her favorite expression was ‘choose to be happy,’ and so we want it to be a very, very happy, fun place.

Evans said meeting the Dunn family moved her and her team, encouraging them to make the park as special as possible, and believes it’s the perfect way to remember her.

“To hear what a special person she was, I mean, how joyful she was and all of those things to think about now, having someone sort of a playful space seems really appropriate to her personality from what I understand.”

Evans told News Channel 11 that they are still in the discovery phase and are about a year or so away from kids being able to play, but they expect to break ground sometime after the new year.