Ocean National Bank donates office space to The Park Theatre
Rachel O'Leary, Assistant Vice President (left) of Ocean National Bank, announced recently that the bank has extended office space to The Park Theatre in its Jaffrey branch at 62 Peterborough Street. Caroline Hollister (center) President of The Park Theatre Board of Trustees was on hand to accept the bank's support. Stephanie Faulkner (right) joined O'Leary in welcoming The Park Theatre trustees, staff and loyal supporters to Ocean National.
November 2006: Speaking for the bank, Rachel O'Leary said, "As part of Ocean National's commitment to community involvement, we are extremely pleased to extend office space to The Park Theatre. Our relationship with The Park Theatre and its Trustees stands as an example of our focus on supporting the needs of our customers. We are proud to do our small part in helping such a deserving organization see their vision of a rejuvenated theater come to fruition. It will become an exciting addition to downtown Jaffrey and we at Ocean will be looking forward to entering those doors on opening day! It is with great pleasure that we welcome our new residents to the bank -- we are looking forward to having such a dedicated group in our midst!"
Caroline Hollister said that "Ocean National has supported The Park Theatre from the first day the bank arrived in town. They helped us raise the funds to purchase the building and have contributed annually to the restoration. The Trustees are pleased and grateful to Ocean National for the space they have donated to us for the theatre's office. Ocean is our bank and our partner -- and now, our landlord. It's just great!"
Trustees of The Park Theatre purchased the building from Nancy and Roy Stone in February 2005. Since then, the trustees have been working with Dan V. Sculley Architects to determine how much work will be required to renovate the theatre and start showing movies, concerts and plays there again. "We have our work cut out for us," Hollister said, "but everyone is committed to turn The Park Theatre into a regional center for the arts and entertainment, a meeting place for the community, and a dynamic force in the region's vitality and quality of life." In addition to deciding on a design that fits the theatre and meets current and future entertainment goals, trustees will have to replace all the electrical, heating and plumbing elements, most of the roof, and meet health and safety codes that didn't exist 83 years ago when Romulo Vanni built the theatre. Last summer, the trustees opened the theatre up to the community for the first time in 30 years. More than 450 people had the opportunity to see the WPA watercolor murals of Monadnock and sit in the horsehair and leather seats.
For information or to make a donation, please contact The Park Theatre at PO Box 278, Jaffrey 03452 or Caroline Hollister at 603.532-5717.
