June 1 is a very important date to soccer fans around the world. It’s when The Championship soccer league, also known as the English Football League, holds its playoffs. It’s also when supporters of a temporary waterfront development idea will gather at Tony’s Pub and Grill on Franklin Street at 2 p.m. to raise money for the new concept.
The suggested donation is $20.
The waterfront development will be known as “The Launch” and is being proposed by the non-profit Beyond Walls (which brought all of the murals to the city). The idea is to utilize the three-acre waterfront parcel adjacent to Lynn’s marine transportation facility.
If it all pans out for the non-profit, there will be art installations, the use of storage containers, a multi-purpose field for soccer and basketball.
Al Wilson, of Beyond Walls, is working toward raising $50,000 through the civic crowdfunding platform Patronicity by June 30 so that MassDevelopment will match $50,000 for the project through its Commonwealth Places grant.
“We want it available as people get on and off the ferry,” Wilson said. “It will be something for all ages.”
“There’s a strong desire to have access to the water’s edge and a park with multi-generational amenities,” Wilson said.
Wilson has been working with designers Brown, Richardson and Rowe of Boston and a waterfront plan for the city. Work will also be done by the architectural firm Tayette
“I’m working on securing a lease on that site,” Wilson said. “So we’ve rolled out a crowd fund effort.”
Wilson plans on listening sessions and design thinking workshops to help plan the site.
Some of the needs have already been identified – front and center was a place to have live music outdoors.
“It’s also important for the site to utilize water transportation use. There will be a shipping container used to create a terminal for the ferry,” Wilson said. “Just from hearing from people in the community there is also a need for a soccer court – especially for five-on-five soccer that is played all around the world.”