Movie night will benefit Jackson Park Playground

SWAMPSCOTT – The Jackson Park Playground Committee is holding the second annual community movie night on Saturday at Jackson Park.The Jackson Park Neighborhood Association, an ad hoc committee, is hoping to hit a home run with its showing of “The Sandlot” on the outfield grass of the high school softball field.The association is moving forward with plans to build a new playground in lower Jackson Park near Machon Elementary School. The event will kick off at 6 p.m. With live performances by local favorites “Red Rock” and “The Stems.” The musical performances will be followed by the movie at 8 p.m. Organizers said pizza, popcorn, hot dogs, candy and beverages would be available for purchase with all proceeds going to the playground fund.Kevin Donaher, who is active with the group, said the proposed project would provide a playground for children and passive recreational space for the entire community. He said, when complete, the project would improve the quality of life in the neighborhood and provide a valuable resource for residents.Donaher said the group has already hired local architect James Emmanuel to develop the design for a beautiful passive recreation area that includes environmentally safe and unique play structures for children of all ages. Donaher said he hopes construction would get underway in the spring and the committee would have a community build day to defray the cost of the actual installation of the play equipment.Donaher said the group already has approximately $50,000 in hand. When Kids Cove was torn down to make room for the new high school, the School Building Committee set aside $35,000 for a new playground and there is another $10,000 earmarked for the project as the result of a remediation agreement between the town and the neighborhood. The group held a Harry Potter movie night in Linscott Park last year and that event raised $2,900.The Jackson Park Neighborhood Association has established a Web site at www.buildjacksonpark.org to keep residents abreast on the community effort to construct a playground and passive recreation area in lower Jackson Park.Tax-deductible donations can be made by mailing checks to The Swampscott Rotary Charitable Trust/Jackson Park Playground, P.O. Box 36, Swampscott, MA 01907. Residents or businesses interested in finding out how they can help or offer services can contact Kevin Donaher at 617-512-3714 or Chris Miles at 781-246-7904.