Playground Honoring Sandy Hook, Superstorm Sandy Victims Opens In Sea Bright
SEA BRIGHT, N.J. (CBSNewYork/AP) - Organizers in New Jersey have opened the first of several memorial playgrounds that are being built across the region in honor the 26 victims of the Newtown, Conn. elementary school massacre.
The playground that opened Saturday in Sea Bright honors special education teacher Anne Marie Murphy. Groundbreaking for the Sea Bright playground was on March 1.
The playgrounds - one for each child and teacher killed at Sandy Hook Elementary School - are being built in New Jersey, New York and Connecticut communities hit hard by superstorm Sandy.
The project, named "The Sandy Ground Project: Where Angels Play,'' is being spearheaded by New Jersey's Firefighters' Mutual Benevolent Association. It connects the two tragedies that share the name "Sandy.''
Sea Bright was chosen for the first playground because of the level of devastation brought by Sandy.
The project will eventually create 10 playgrounds each in New York and New Jersey and six in Connecticut.
Each playground will have a theme connected to the Newtown victim it honors.
The project will cost about $2.1 million total.
The 5,000-member Firefighters' Mutual Benevolent Association is New Jersey's largest fire union.
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