Photos: Chris Stanley
Sweet Caroline, good times never seemed so good. I’ve been inclined to believe they never would.” They’re the lyrics of Neil Diamond’s famous song, words that Owen “OJ” Jackson sings in his band Live Wire – and they could easily have been the mantra of his life lately.
As the song goes, spring became the summer – and seven years on, the Timaru radio host’s passion project is finally finished.
OJ and the Caroline Bay Playground committee have just won the Recreation Aotearoa Parks NZ Playground of the Year 2024 for CPlay, a colossal 40-plus piece playground that cost $3 million to build.
He and his wife Rebecca were watching their children play at the Margaret Mahy Playground in Christchurch when they pondered what it would take to create a replacement for the ageing and out-dated children’s area in Caroline Bay. OJ campaigned on the project when he stood for Timaru District Council in 2016.
“I missed out – not by much,” says the 57-year-old Breeze breakfast show host. “Then in 2017, there was a by-election and I was thrashed. I was working as a radio announcer and needed to get my teeth into something extra. So I went back to what I am really passionate about – helping the community.”
He adds, “My role in the community is one of privilege. I treat it with an attitude of gratitude. I grew up in Christchurch, and my brother and I spent time in Timaru with our cousins. We’d come down every Christmas to the Caroline Bay Carnival.”
His first full-time radio gig took him to Timaru and there he met Rebecca, a fellow cast member in the local production of Chess, in 1996. They married in 2005.
Their children were in primary school when OJ formed the playground committee. Adam, now 18, goes to university in Christchurch – Liam, 17, and Ruby, 15, are in high school.
Rebecca, he says, was the glue that kept the family running while the committee started planning and fundraising.
“We wanted a playground that was about who we are,” he says. “Other playgrounds had a pirate ship, a big slide and a flying fox. The lighthouse became Blackett’s Lighthouse, the pirate ship became a shipwreck because we have a history of shipwrecks in South Canterbury, and the flying fox represents the Rocket Brigade, who rescued people by firing rockets out to the ships to help get the supplies and people off.”
Early indications were that a state-of-the-art offering would cost around $1.2 million. But within days of the celebration to mark raising $2 million, it became clear they would need a lot more money.
“We were impacted by budget blowouts due mainly to Covid,” explains OJ. “It ended up costing $3 million. That was pretty stressful. It was the courage and the strength of those people around me that pulled me through. We started applying for more money and talked to more people.
“The community was absolutely amazing,” he reveals. “Grandparents gave money because they wanted to do something for their grandkids. One man wanted to pay tribute to his wife who passed away because their daughter had a grandchild on the way – children gave pocket money.
“It was a learning curve. I couldn’t have done it without Rebecca. She’s always been supportive of anything I’ve ever done. She’s my rock.”
Adds Rebecca, 47, “OJ never gave up. I was working full-time and running the home and looking after the children. We understood it was what he needed to do for our community.”
It was during the build that OJ was elected to the council in 2022.
He’s conscious the children grew up with their father being the Breeze host and that while he has always tried to be there for them, “they’ve always been there for me too”, he insists.
“Even now, with his council work, he’s busy, but we manage,” Rebecca says. “We still make sure we connect at the dinner table – no phones – so we can talk about our day.”
The pair also has date nights, often performing together at gigs as part of Live Wire, or grabbing a quick pizza if they see a gap in each other’s diary.
It’s a much-needed schedule because as well as being a councillor, radio host and celebrant, OJ’s studying to become a real estate agent.
“I don’t tell the kids what to do, but I hope I’m setting an example,” he says. “Give back to the community and you will benefit, because the feeling you get from giving is just unreal.
“Seeing the kids all playing and the families enjoying their time at CPlay, the smiles and laughter… It’s so worthwhile.”
Rebecca says their children are very proud of their dad.
“Ruby said the other day, ‘When I have children, I’m going to say my dad built this.’ It’s very humbling to know that people are using it and will for generations. That’s something very special.”
When Live Wire sings Sweet Caroline at the Caroline Bay Carnival, it will be so good, so good indeed!
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