The Hawthorne Environmental Commission recently received grants to aid in the beautification of Hawthorne’s 8 Acre Woods through expansive renovations and nature projects which are set for the next year.

One of their most anticipated project collaborations is with American film director and two time Tony Award winner Raja Gosnell, who helped to produce and direct several cult classic comedy films such as Home Alone 3, Beverly Hills Chihuahua,and The Smurfs. 

Gosnell made a surprise appearance at Hawthorne’s last town council meeting, where he went into great detail regarding the cultural significance of the 8 Acre Woods during the 2000’s film scene.

Gosnell proclaimed, “Out of all of the films I have worked on, the live action film “Scooby Doo” has a special place within my heart. I remember all those years ago, when the film’s idea came into conception. I was with my cinematographer at the time, Oliver Wood, on a business trip staying at a local hotel complex. We were walking through Goffle Brook Park eating one of those scrumptious hoagies from a local joint when Oliver suddenly stopped in his tracks at the foot of the entrance to the 8 Acre Woods next to a dog park. At that very moment I knew that we had found the perfect setting for our next action packed  CGI film.”

Gosnell paused and then added, “There was a slew of stolen Walmart shopping carts, the jagged rocky landscape filled to the brim with poison ivy…I knew we had found the perfect setting for the revival of the Scooby gang! Before we knew it, we were filming the opening shots and chase scenes within the dead of the night. And the rest is now history!”

Gosnell has since helped raise over $ 30,000  through a GoFundMe to erect a statue of Scooby Doo next to the 8 Acre Woods dog park. The project, in collaboration with the Environment Commission, is set to start construction within the next few months.