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Medford may host summer film series Bear Creek Park is planned venue By CHRIS BRISTOL Bear Creek Park will be the place to see stars under the stars this summer, as long as the Medford City Council plays along. The parks department wants to put Bear Creek's verdant amphitheater to good use this summer as the site for a series of classic Hollywood movies. But first the council has to amend a municipal code that closes all parks by 10:30 p.m. "We need to push it back a half-hour or so because we're probably not going to be able to start until about 9 p.m., when it gets dark," explained parks Director Greg Jones. If the council agrees, the park will soon host classics like "Casablanca" and "basically anything with Spencer Tracy and Katherine Hepburn," joked parks recreation superintendent Tom Hilton. Hilton got the idea from the fledgling success of an outdoor movie series at Cantrall-Buckley Park in the Applegate Valley. "It's going to be a lot of fun," he said. "It's actually something that I've had in the back of my dream list for some time." Instead of competing head-to-head, city parks officials joined forces with a non-profit community group that runs Cantrall-Buckley to share movies and costs. Under the plan, Cantrall-Buckley will screen Friday night, Bear Creek on Saturday night. The series will last only two months, July and August. Costs should be minimal, mostly for hiring a part-time projectionist and renting movies. The city plans to mail out schedules, including the Sunday concert series, with water bills. Moviegoers may bring any refreshments they want, except alcohol and cigarettes. Popcorn-and-pop profits from a concession stand will benefit the nearby BMX track. The ampitheater is little more than a grassy knoll, with no benches or built-in seating. Instead, moviegoers can sit on blankets or lawn chairs like a Britt concert. The venue may be rustic, but it's all free, Hilton said. "We think is has a great future here in Medford," he said. "We think it will be real well received, something for the family on a Saturday night." Today's Edition : News | Sports | Business | Weather | Tempo | Classifieds Mail Tribune Copyright � The Mail Tribune 2000, Medford, Oregon USA