The White Center community came together April 5 to honor one of their fallen heroes by dedicating Steve Cox Memorial Park.

Cox, a King County Sheriff's deputy, was shot and killed in the line of duty by a gang member in a White Center home in December 2006.

The ceremony to rename White Center Park included a grand opening of the park's newly renovated Mel Olson Stadium.

"Deputy Cox used athletics as a means of reaching out to local youth and connecting with them in a personal way," King County Executive Ron Sims said to the hundreds of community members who gathered for the event.

"Deputy Cox's commitment to this community - his community - will not be forgotten, and renaming this park in his honor is a fitting tribute to an extraordinary man," Sims said.

Cox was a true community leader, he added, a man whose dedication and hard work were testaments to his ties with White Center.

"We still grieve for the loss of Deputy Cox - a loss that is felt not only by his family and friends, but by the White Center community and by King County as a whole." Sims noted.

Bronson Cox, Deputy Cox's 2 1/2-year-old son, threw out the ceremonial first pitch at the park's Mel Olson Stadium baseball field, which has undergone an extensive renovation, before the inaugural game between Seattle Prep and Eastside Catholic High School.

Honor guards from the King County Sheriff's Office and the North Highline Fire District were on hand to raise the American flag.

White Center Community Development Association, the Seattle Prep baseball program, Puget Sound Senior Baseball League, and King County Parks partnered with local businesses, baseball leagues and community members to renovate and improve the stadium's field and stands.

Improvements include a new synthetic turf infield, new bullpens, batting cages, bases and pitching mound, a re-graded outfield and an enhanced grandstand.

"These improvements will make the stadium more enjoyable for players and spectators alike, and allow the field to be used more often throughout the year," Sims said.

King County provided a $430,000 investment, which the community leveraged by securing hundreds of thousands of dollars in in-kind donations of materials and services and volunteer labor.

The field renovation is part of King County's Community Partnerships and Grants Program. Had the county carried out this project on its own, it would have cost well over $1 million to complete.

"The renaming of this park, where a young Steve Cox played baseball and basketball, is an appropriate memorial to a man who lived to serve his community," said King County Councilman Dow Constantine, D-West Seattle.

"This honor was chosen by the community and it was a privilege for me to sponsor legislation implementing the community's wishes."

Art will also be installed in the park as part of the memorial to Deputy Cox. The artist selection process is scheduled to take place later this summer, with the artwork installation expected in 2009.

"Investing in the White Center community makes this a better place to work, live and play," Sims said. "Our goal is for all King County residents, regardless of their ZIP code or their tax bracket, to have access to these types of facilities."

Steve Cox Memorial Park is located at 1321 S.W. 102nd Street in White Center.