While growing up in Randolph, Simmonds used to play at Belcher Park, the home of the new playground. He graduated from Randolph High School in 2004 and eventually became a Boston police officer.
The playground, unveiled in a plan last year but delayed by the pandemic, was a joint effort by Randolph town officials and the Where Angels Play Foundation. The Randolph Town Council donated $20,000 to make the project happen. It tells our children that police work is important work and has great value to it, Randolph Planning Director Michelle Tyler said. And we were hoping that that’s something of a message that kids will pull away from this playground.
Playground honors Boston police officer who died from injuries suffered after marathon bombings Share Updated: 12:18 PM EDT May 14, 2021 Share Updated: 12:18 PM EDT May 14, 2021
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Show Transcript FOR THE NEXT GENERATION OF KIDS. JOSH: JUST AS LOVE AND DEDICATION ARE NEEDED TO TURN A HOUSE INTO A HOME, THESE VOLUNTEERS ARE TAKEN THIS TAKING THIS SMALL SECTION OF BELCHER PARK AND RANDOLPH AND TRANSFORMING IT INTO A SPECIAL PLACE FOR CHILDREN. HE WAS GOOD. HE GREW UP HERE AND WOULD PLAY AROUND THE BACK HERE. ANTOINETTE: IT IS JOSH: IT IS IN MEMORY OF DJ SIMMONS, WHO DIED IN 2014 OF INJURIES SUSTAINED AFTER THE BOSTON MARATHON SHOOTINGS. HIS FATHER AND BROTHER ARE HERE TO HELP. HE WAS BURIED ON THE 17TH. THAT MONTH IS A DIFFICULT MONTH FOR THE FAMILY. DJ, BEING A BLACK POLICE OFFICER WHO GAVE HIS LIFE AND A HERO FOR THIS COMMUNITY, WITH EVERYTHING HAPPENING IN OUR COUNTRY AND THE DIVISION AND THE DIFFICULT TIME LAW ENFORCEMENT I
RANDOLPH In the fall, a new playground was supposed to be built in Randolph in memory of native son DJ Simmonds, a Boston police officer who was injured during the hunt for the Boston Marathon bombers in 2013 died from those injuries the following year.
But the worsening pandemic scrapped those plans as the nonprofit organization from New Jersey, which was donating the project, could not make the trip and piece the equipment together at Belcher Park in October as planned.
But the Where Angels Play Foundation and Randolph residents will piece together the delayed playground during a two-day project beginning at 9 a.m. May 13 and 14, with a ribbon-cutting planned for 11 a.m. Saturday, May 15.
RANDOLPH An army of volunteers from multiple states and members of area police and fire departments gathered Thursday to build a playground in memory of town native and late Boston police Sgt. Dennis DJ Simmonds. It s amazing to see everyone, Larry Grant, Simmonds uncle, said about the group of more than 50 volunteers. It s people recognizing what he did and where he s at now.
The playground is in Belcher Park where Simmonds rode his bike and played soccer as a child. It is being built by nonprofit Where Angels Play Foundation and funded through sales at Jersey Mikes Subs stores throughout New England from last year.
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In the fall, a new playground was supposed to be built in Randolph in memory of native son DJ Simmonds, a Boston police officer who was injured during the hunt for the Boston Marathon bombers in 2013, and dying from those injuries the following year.
But the worsening pandemic scrapped those plans as the non-profit organization from New Jersey, which was donating the project, could not make the trip and piece the equipment together at Belcher Park in October, as planned.
But the Where Angels Play Foundation and Randolph residents will piece together the delayed playground during a two-day project beginning at 9 a.m. May 13-14, with a ribbon-cutting planned for 11 a.m. Saturday, May 15.