Some significant improvements occurred to the Ginder Field playground in Summit Hill this year.

Among them:• Through an Eagle Scout project, the pavilion was given a new roof, other repairs, and repainted.• Benches were donated by the Summit Hill American Legion Post.• The swing sets, monkey bars, and fire engine were painted by the Summit Hill Recreation Commission and the seats on the swing sets were replaced.Monica Marshall, president of the Recreation Commission, said a back-to-school picnic will be held at the Ginder Park tomorrow at 1 p.m. A magician will appear at 2 p.m.The event is free for children of Summit Hill borough and there will be prizes.Three benches were donated for the park by the Legion.Stan Karnish, commander of the Legion Post, said the benches are in memory of the late Frank Kokinda, a borough resident who was killed in an auto accident on Sept. 22, 2002.Karnish said Kokinda was active in the Sons of the American Legion, the borough's little league baseball program, and other community events."We donated three benches this year and hopefully we will be making more donations," he said.The pavilion repairs were done via an Eagle Boy Scout project by Tyler Devonshire, a borough resident.Devonshire, 16, is the son of Scott and Lori Devonshire and is a junior at Panther Valley High School. He is a member of Boy Scout Troop 555 of Penn Forest Township.He said the idea to repair the pavilion came up during a conversation between Marshall and Devonshire's father. The project took about 150 hours to complete, he said.The teenager said he recruited some helpers. They took the metal and shingles off the roof and replaced them with plywood and new shingles.They painted the beams and other woodwork yellow and brown. The concrete floor of the pavilion was painted gray.The helpers included Fred Evans, Kevin Thompson, Peter Matyascik, Len Ogozalek, Frank DeMatto, Noah DeMatto, Marshall, and Devonshire's parents.The Eagle Scout said it was both fun and educational doing the park project. He said it was enjoyable because he lived in Summit Hill all his life and played at the playground a lot when he was younger.He added, "I definitely learned a lot about construction."Marshall said because of the pavilion improvements, it is utilized more often. She said now the pavilion can be used for picnics. It also can be rented for special events.To rent the pavilion, contact Marshall.This is the second year that major attention was given to the Ginder Field Park. Last year, there were two new rides installed. They were a "Jump Up" and a "Turnabout." Marshall said a new teeter-totter is planned for the playground.