Joey’s Park Party After Town Day Today

Cap off Belmont Town Day today, May 18 with a picnic and party at Joey’s Park.   

The event from 5 p.m. to 7 p.m. will feature food, music, photos and a chance to view an over-sized rendering of the new Joey’s Park playground.

“Everyone loves a party and everyone loves Joey’s Park,” says Ellen Schreiber, Friends of Joey’s Park co-chair and sponsor of the party.

“This is a chance to celebrate 24 years of a magical community playground as we get ready to build the new Joey’s Park next October,” she said.

The Friends of Joey’s Park is a volunteer group of more than 80 Belmont families working to build a new park that maintains the magic and honors the history of the original playground built in 1989 in memory of Joey O’Donnell.

The party's theme is "Joey’s Park: Then and Now." Among the visuals that will be on display:

• Photos from 1989 when hundreds of volunteers came together to build the original playground just as Hurricane Hugo hit.  

• A giant print of the Joey’s Park Community Photo taken April 27.

• A massive architectural drawing of the plan for the new Joey’s Park.

"Belmont kids helped come up with a one-of-a-kind design for the new playground and I think people are going to be amazed,” says Diane Miller, Friends of Joey’s Park co-chair.  

“Just like the current park, it will have towers and tunnels, but there will also be new features like an underground hill tunnel, an outdoor gazebo and something just about every kid requested: a zip line.”

Families are encouraged to bring a picnic blanket and enjoy hot dogs and hamburgers.

The party will also serve as the kick-off to an on-line auction to help fund the new park featuring Red Sox tickets, restaurant gift certificates, cooking classes, art pieces and much more.

“The Joey’s Park Party will be a perfect way to complete the fun of Town Day,” says Schreiber.  

“And to enjoy one of this community’s most beloved pubic spaces.”

The new park will be built Oct. 9 to 14 in much the same spirit at the original one with design input from children and a massive “community-build” barn raising.   Learn more at www.joeyspark.org.

There is a $5 per person suggested donation to cover expenses.