NEFA DISCussion

Posted: **Wed Dec 13, 2006 10:15 am**

I received an e-mail and just got off the phone with a fine-sounding fellow named Russ Cohen who's done some interesting legwork towards bringing DG to this area.

I went back through the old subjects under this topic to see if others have mentioned this chunk of land. We've posted many times before about trying to get DG closer to Boston, but I didn't find anything specific to Beaver Brook.

The 2-300 acres are old state mental hospital grounds, and have heard from an assortmant of groups with proposals for this city-owned property.

Russ has made inroads with the mayor and the nature conservancy, and sounds like he's got a decent head of steam.

Now is the time for those of you in the area to see how you can lend a hand. Russ had never heard of NEFA, so I thought I'd post here and link him to it on an e-mail.

This is within 128/95, and close to Bently and Brandeis for a natural constituancy as well.

Take it away, Russ......

p.s. Old dams and mental hospitals. Filling reservoirs with plastic 170grams at a time, and replacing 20th-century mental cases with a new breed who are REALLY sick in the head!

Posted: **Wed Dec 13, 2006 9:29 pm**

Hello - FYI, here is the e-mail message that I sent "Stew" yesterday. :arrow:

Before you read it, though, I hope you will be patient, and discreet in reading/sharing this info. I want to make sure I have the go-ahead from the City to submit a more formal proposal before we all get too excited about something that may never get off the ground (at least in this proposed location) - I don't want to get ahead of the political process. If and when I get some encouragement from City government to present them with a fleshed out proposal, I will be sure to post a message to that effect in the NEFA DisCussion, and then I would welcome folks to "talk up" the idea and build some momentum for it. Thanks in advance for your patience and cooperation in this matter

. Here's the original message:

... I recently revived my interest in disc golf (after playing it for the first time in a county park outside of Cincinnati in 1985) and played the Pye Brook Disc Golf Course (in Topsfield) a couple times this fall and really enjoyed it.

I am exploring the possibility of trying to establish a disc golf course in the west suburban Boston area (we don’t currently have one in that region), and could benefit greatly from your experience of establishing/running your course. I would be grateful for any words of wisdom you have about successful strategies on “selling” the idea, as well as mistakes to avoid (if you made any).

Right now my preferred site is one owned by the City of Waltham. I have just sent a preliminary proposal to the Mayor, and I have been informed that the Mayor is actively considering my proposal.

If it turns out that the Mayor likes the idea, I will need to flesh out my proposal. Part of that, of course, would be a budget. I gave the Mayor a rough ballpark cost estimate of $1,000-$2,000 per hole for the cost of construction, plus several thousand $/year to operate/maintain the course. Do these numbers sound right to you, or are they too low (and, if so, by how much)?

I have also proposed to the Mayor that (if she thinks it’s a good idea) we could set up a temporary demonstration course on the property so people can check it out and see what they think. Was that done for your course? If so, where did you obtain the temporary equipment (tees, pole holes, etc.)? Any advice on how to/not to set up and operate a temporary course?

I thank you in advance for whatever help you can provide me in this effort.

Russ Cohen
eatwild@rcn.com
(617) 626-1543 (w)

P.S.: If and when the Mayor gives the initial go-ahead to present her with a more detailed proposal, I will be happy to share with you the concept description I sent her last week, so you can see the basic parameters of my proposal. At some point, if this idea seems to be moving forward, I will let you know in case you’d like to help me build a constituency for a new course in the west suburban Boston area.

Posted: **Thu Dec 14, 2006 10:41 am**

Hi Russ,

We are putting the finishing touches on our new course in Devens, just 30 or so minutes west of you down Rt 2. I'd be happy to send you the proposal and other info packets I created when we were trying to gain approval.

Although your estimate of $1000/hole may be close in the end, I'd stress that the course will evolve and be built in stages so less upfront money will be needed (of course if you can get it all at once then take it!). I've learned that hearing "$500 for two years" is less imposing than "$1000 right now".

For example, plan on first getting the baskets, then next year nice tee pads and signs, etc. We have put Devens together for about $400/hole so far. That includes quality baskets and lots of free labor. We have natural tee pads and next year plan to install cement tee pads, tee signs, better paths, bridges, kiosk, etc.

But, it all depends on your personal style and the response you get from city officials. We took small, moderately-aggressive, and calculated steps because that's what fit our personalities and how we felt Devens officials would respond. You may have Waltham happily say "Sure, here's $20k, go for it." It all depends.

To see the stuff we went through, visit our blogand start reading from the very begining, or read the Devens thread under Courses.

Good luck! Hopefully we'll be having some Devens - Beaver Brook challenges next summer! If you want to chat more about this, feel free to come out and play a round this weekend (or better yet, help put in a few more remaining baskets.)

Posted: **Thu Nov 12, 2009 7:01 pm**

Whoa, a lot has happened since that last post. Russ ended up sponsoring hole 16 at Devens!

Anyway, Russ has news about this property. An important meeting is being held next week, Tuesday, Nov 17 at which DCR will take suggestions for park uses. If you want a course in Metro Boston, here's your chance to make it happen.

From Russ:

Hello Everyone – some time ago I posted a message to this forum mentioning the possibility of a new disc golf course in Waltham. The potential location for this course is at the Mass. Department of Conservation and Recreation (DCR)’s new Beaver Brook North (aka Expanded Beaver Brook) Reservation, on the Waltham/Belmont/Lexington line. The property is quite large (200+ acres), plenty of room for a full-sized 18-hole disc golf course. The terrain is also quite suitable, with a good diversity of grassy meadows, woods and hills.

As this park is new, DCR is still figuring out which activities to allow in which locations. Here’s the current planning documentfor the new park.

It so happens that there’s a public meeting coming up soon (Tuesday, 11/17) at which DCR will take suggestions for park uses. It would be great if as many of you as possible were able to come to this meeting and talk up the idea of a disc golf course.

DETAILS

Department of Conservation and Recreation Commonwealth of Massachusetts
PUBLIC MEETING ON FINAL DRAFT RESOURCE MANAGEMENT PLAN FOR EXPANDED BEAVER BROOK RESERVATION

Tuesday, November 17, 2009
6:30 p.m. – 8:30 p.m.
Mass. Audubon Habitat Education Center
10 Juniper Road, Belmont (directions)

At the meeting, DCR will present an overview of, and update on, a final draft Resource Management Plan (RMP) for the Expanded Beaver Brook Reservation.

The main objective of the meeting is to enhance agency and partner coordination related to stewardship of resources and public recreation opportunities in the Reservation, which is part of the Western Gateway. Toward that end, DCR will invite input on an RMP-based action plan.

The draft RMP can be viewed at here.

Written comments on the draft plan should be sent to rmp.comments@state.ma.us, with “Beaver Brook Reservation” noted in the email subject line.

If you have questions about the public meeting, please contact Andy Backman at (617) 960-7298 or andy.backman@state.ma.us

If you’re not able to go, please consider sending in an e-mail in support of a disc golf course at the Beaver Brook North Reservation.

This is one of the (if not the ) best chances to get a new top-notch course established close to Boston.

Thanks for considering this suggestion –
-- Russ Cohen

P.S.: I have talked to the main DCR Planner in charge of the Beaver Brook North Reservation, Dan Driscoll, and he thinks a disc golf course at Beaver Brook North would be a great idea. (I have taken him to play several other DG courses in eastern Massachusetts, and he has enjoyed it.)

Posted: **Thu Nov 12, 2009 7:10 pm**

I like this idea. Thats a short ride from Marlboro for me!

NEFA DISCussion

Beaver Brook Course in Waltham?

Beaver Brook Course in Waltham?