To the Finish: Joey's Park Build Starts Final Week

They got up early and picked up their tools to begin work at 8 a.m. today, Wednesday, Oct. 9.

The volunteer crew gathered in the Winn Brook Elementary School parking lot ready for their shift. Before them is the final push to create a new playground and structure for Joey's Park.

“We are bringing Joey’s Park back to life, we are bringing back the magic,” explains Ellen Schreiber, co-chair of the Friends of Joey’s Park, on Monday, Oct. 7, at the kick-off event.

“Volunteers are excited to build this playground, but it is the invaluable support of these local leaders that have made the community build possible.”

The six-day community build begins today, Oct. 9, and runs through Columbus Day, Oct. 14. Skilled and non-skilled volunteers can help build the park or help with registration, food and in the Joey’s Park Kids Room. Children 4 to 10 can participate in build-related activities in the Kids Room.

Volunteers can sign up for the community build at www.joeyspark.org.

Schreiber and Friends of Joey’s Park co-chair Diane Miller thanked crews from Suffolk Construction, the James W. Flett Company, F.E. French Company,  Mahoney Oil, D. Muzzioli Associates, ValleyCrest Landscape Companies, Belmont’s Department of Public Works and Belmont Light, for their work over the last two months demolishing the original play structure, digging more than 200 post holes and preparing the site for the new playground.

“This is a large area with significant landscaping challenges,” explains Miller, who is also an architect.  

“Our team of local partners worked long and hard and we are extraordinarily grateful for their commitment to creating a new Joey’s Park," said Miller.

Local business leaders from Belmont Savings Bank and Cambridge Savings Bank were among the early sponsors of the playground project on hand Monday to help kick off the community build.

“This is one of those rare opportunities to be part of something that helps the community and the kids,” explains Bob Mahoney, president of Belmont Savings Bank.  

“We wouldn’t miss it for the world,” he said.