pk
February 16th, 2005, 09:57 AM
Some might recognize the author of this nice piece from SingleTracks. Jeff is one of SingleTracks contributing writers. Nice job, Jeff!
Friends group to focus on Wompatuck
By Jeff Cutler/ Correspondent
Friday, February 11, 2005
Wompatuck State Park may be shared by Hingham, Cohasset, Scituate and
Norwell but - with its more than 30 miles of biking, bridle and hiking
trails - the 3,500-acre park attracts visitors from across the state and
country.
With literally thousands of visitors using the park annually, park
staff doesn't always know what may either please or trouble the different
user groups. That's one of the main reasons Park Supervisor Steve Gammon
developed the proposal for a "friends" group at Wompatuck.
"It should be made clear that a friends group is not an 'advisory
board'," said Gammon. "Advisory groups are often detached from the
solution. A friends group is part of the park and recognizes its own
problems and develops solutions."
In this capacity, Gammon explained, the Friends will identify problems
and challenges at the park and develop ways to solve to those issues
collaboratively.
According to Bill Boles of the New England Mountain Bike Association
(NEMBA), a group like Friends of Wompatuck, can generate support for a park
by bringing together users, community members, and elected representatives
from surrounding towns.
He feels the first step in establishing a successful group is getting
people involved and letting people know they have a say in what happens at
their local park.
Having been involved at Wompatuck and in NEMBA for years, Boles thinks
the response locally will be positive.
"I would hope the community would enthusiastically embrace the group,"
he said. "Wompatuck State Park is a local treasure and we, its users, would
be remiss in our responsibilities if we did nothing to maintain and improve
it."
The park is currently managed and maintained by Gammon and three
full-time staffers. The trails also get some necessary attention from
volunteers directed in their efforts by the Wompatuck Trails Committee.
The Trails Committee has seen its membership grow to include
equestrians, hikers and even a gentleman who enjoys dog sledding. While the
Trails Committee has been scheduling about four trail days a year, it
recognized that there were user groups that might benefit from improvements
not being discussed at its meetings.
So Gammon suggested establishing the Friends of Wompatuck and Boles of
the Mountain Bike Association agreed. Both felt it was time to look at the
park from a community perspective.
To this end, Boles hopes the Friends will be made up of
representatives from all of Wompatuck's user groups. This includes anyone
who comes through the gates at the park, not just residents from Hingham,
Cohasset, Norwell and Scituate.
Boles, who is from Brockton, believes the Friends' members will be
drawn from "the diverse groups that use Wompatuck State Park, although
local representation from the surrounding towns will be encouraged."
Steve Cobble is also a NEMBA member and is acting as a liaison between
Friends and the mountain bike community. He has a strong feeling that this
group will be a benefit to Wompatuck and all its users. As a member of Blue
Hills Trail Watch and Bike Quincy, Cobble has seen other groups make a
positive difference in community recreation.
Cobble has been the organizer for the initial meetings of the Friends
and he's excited about the prospect of cultivating more people's input.
"Hopefully the Friends group will have support from all users so we
can have a diverse set of ideas and opinions," said Cobble. "As far as
NEMBA is concerned, we are not there to take away or relieve them in any
way of the ongoing trail maintenance projects. If anything, the Friends
would be a community voice that would remind people who has been doing this
work."
Cobble is from Quincy and noted people from all over the region use
the park and want to be involved.
"So far we've got people from Marshfield, Plympton, Carver, Brockton,
Quincy, Hopkinton, Acton, Hull, and just about every South Shore town," he
said. "Members are mostly involved because they enjoy the park in one way
or another."
Alice Mainville is from Amesbury and hopes the Friends will be
successful for both users and the area.
"Groups like Friends of Wompatuck create a win/win situation," she
said. "They are committed to the preservation of open space which in turn
provides the public with a valuable resource for outdoor recreation. There
is no cost to the government or the taxpayer. Without groups like Friends,
cities and towns may otherwise not be able to afford to provide this
service."
Mainville's perspective on cost savings comes from her experience as a
former municipal councilor. And her comments bring up a point Wompatuck
users might not know - monies collected by the park can end up in different
coffers.
For example, fees collected at Wompatuck for camping or even for
parking will go right to the state. But, if someone makes a donation to the
park, it stays at Wompatuck and is used for the betterment of its
facilities. It hasn't been determined yet if the Friends will try and
generate its own funds to be earmarked for park improvements, but if so,
those monies should remain at Wompatuck.
Gammon said he thinks the Department of Conservation and Recreation
(DCR), whose jurisdiction includes state parks, will charge fees as it sees
fit and that money goes back into the state government. But, donations to
the park's conservation trust fund can be used for Wompatuck as well as any
funds raised by the Friends.
Fixing gates and improving park buildings may fall under the umbrella
of the state's responsibilities, but building bridges and adjusting trail
routes takes time and money. To generate some of this income, the Friends
has already reached out to local businesses.
Community voice
Jim Quinn, owner of the Bicycle Link in Weymouth, has been riding in
Wompatuck for decades and his shop hosts a road bike racing series in the
park during the summer. The attention and assistance of park staff and
various users has made his events quite popular. For this reason, Quinn
recognizes the importance of a community voice within Wompatuck.
"As the owner of a business that readily recommends Wompatuck State
Park to many of its customers, I feel that I have an obligation to belong
to the Friends of Wompatuck," said Quinn. "As a bicyclist, I never forget
how lucky we are to have the park for the road riding and off-road riding
that we do. I'm sure that I speak for all the local cycling clubs."
Jim Dillon of Scituate echoes the hope for positive community
involvement, although he's not sure the Friends will draw a wide audience.
"I don't think that (people will) care, unless they use the park, and
care what goes on there," said Dillon. "The last meeting we had several
neighbors that had concerns about what was going on near the South Pleasant
Street gate and if that area was going to be cleaned up. We all listened,
we all now know what's up, we all know what's going to be done and why. We
were all winners."
Boles of the Mountain Bike Association hopes that the Friends will add
to this winning feeling.
"I hope the park that I enjoy so much will improve as time goes on,"
said Boles. "And that it will continue to provide an unspoiled natural
outlet where the area's people can enjoy an outdoor experience."
Anyone is welcome at the Friends meetings, whether they use Wompatuck
once a year, seasonally or every day.
"Wompatuck is not just trees, ponds, wildlife and fresh air," said
Gammon, the park supervisor. "Wompatuck is fun, fitness, memories, work,
history and more."
To get involved in the Friends of Wompatuck, interested people may
show up at a meeting and/or sign up for the mailing list at the Visitor
Center.
The next meeting of the Friends of Wompatuck is set for Tuesday, Feb.
15 at 7:30p.m. at the Wompatuck Visitor Center. If you have questions about
any issue involving Wompatuck or want more details on the Friends of
Wompatuck, call Steve Gammon at 781-749-7160.
Friends of Wompatuck to meet
The Friends of Wompatuck State Park will hold its monthly meeting on
Tuesday Feb 15 at 7:30 p.m. at the Mason A. Foley Visitor Center. The
F.O.W. group is a volunteer citizen's organization dedicated to improving
the park. The group is currently working on the final draft of its mission
statement. Officers will be elected shortly. All interested citizens are
invited to join the group. Come help preserve, protect, and improve
Wompatuck. For further information contact Steve Gammons at 781-749-7160
Friends group to focus on Wompatuck
By Jeff Cutler/ Correspondent
Friday, February 11, 2005
Wompatuck State Park may be shared by Hingham, Cohasset, Scituate and
Norwell but - with its more than 30 miles of biking, bridle and hiking
trails - the 3,500-acre park attracts visitors from across the state and
country.
With literally thousands of visitors using the park annually, park
staff doesn't always know what may either please or trouble the different
user groups. That's one of the main reasons Park Supervisor Steve Gammon
developed the proposal for a "friends" group at Wompatuck.
"It should be made clear that a friends group is not an 'advisory
board'," said Gammon. "Advisory groups are often detached from the
solution. A friends group is part of the park and recognizes its own
problems and develops solutions."
In this capacity, Gammon explained, the Friends will identify problems
and challenges at the park and develop ways to solve to those issues
collaboratively.
According to Bill Boles of the New England Mountain Bike Association
(NEMBA), a group like Friends of Wompatuck, can generate support for a park
by bringing together users, community members, and elected representatives
from surrounding towns.
He feels the first step in establishing a successful group is getting
people involved and letting people know they have a say in what happens at
their local park.
Having been involved at Wompatuck and in NEMBA for years, Boles thinks
the response locally will be positive.
"I would hope the community would enthusiastically embrace the group,"
he said. "Wompatuck State Park is a local treasure and we, its users, would
be remiss in our responsibilities if we did nothing to maintain and improve
it."
The park is currently managed and maintained by Gammon and three
full-time staffers. The trails also get some necessary attention from
volunteers directed in their efforts by the Wompatuck Trails Committee.
The Trails Committee has seen its membership grow to include
equestrians, hikers and even a gentleman who enjoys dog sledding. While the
Trails Committee has been scheduling about four trail days a year, it
recognized that there were user groups that might benefit from improvements
not being discussed at its meetings.
So Gammon suggested establishing the Friends of Wompatuck and Boles of
the Mountain Bike Association agreed. Both felt it was time to look at the
park from a community perspective.
To this end, Boles hopes the Friends will be made up of
representatives from all of Wompatuck's user groups. This includes anyone
who comes through the gates at the park, not just residents from Hingham,
Cohasset, Norwell and Scituate.
Boles, who is from Brockton, believes the Friends' members will be
drawn from "the diverse groups that use Wompatuck State Park, although
local representation from the surrounding towns will be encouraged."
Steve Cobble is also a NEMBA member and is acting as a liaison between
Friends and the mountain bike community. He has a strong feeling that this
group will be a benefit to Wompatuck and all its users. As a member of Blue
Hills Trail Watch and Bike Quincy, Cobble has seen other groups make a
positive difference in community recreation.
Cobble has been the organizer for the initial meetings of the Friends
and he's excited about the prospect of cultivating more people's input.
"Hopefully the Friends group will have support from all users so we
can have a diverse set of ideas and opinions," said Cobble. "As far as
NEMBA is concerned, we are not there to take away or relieve them in any
way of the ongoing trail maintenance projects. If anything, the Friends
would be a community voice that would remind people who has been doing this
work."
Cobble is from Quincy and noted people from all over the region use
the park and want to be involved.
"So far we've got people from Marshfield, Plympton, Carver, Brockton,
Quincy, Hopkinton, Acton, Hull, and just about every South Shore town," he
said. "Members are mostly involved because they enjoy the park in one way
or another."
Alice Mainville is from Amesbury and hopes the Friends will be
successful for both users and the area.
"Groups like Friends of Wompatuck create a win/win situation," she
said. "They are committed to the preservation of open space which in turn
provides the public with a valuable resource for outdoor recreation. There
is no cost to the government or the taxpayer. Without groups like Friends,
cities and towns may otherwise not be able to afford to provide this
service."
Mainville's perspective on cost savings comes from her experience as a
former municipal councilor. And her comments bring up a point Wompatuck
users might not know - monies collected by the park can end up in different
coffers.
For example, fees collected at Wompatuck for camping or even for
parking will go right to the state. But, if someone makes a donation to the
park, it stays at Wompatuck and is used for the betterment of its
facilities. It hasn't been determined yet if the Friends will try and
generate its own funds to be earmarked for park improvements, but if so,
those monies should remain at Wompatuck.
Gammon said he thinks the Department of Conservation and Recreation
(DCR), whose jurisdiction includes state parks, will charge fees as it sees
fit and that money goes back into the state government. But, donations to
the park's conservation trust fund can be used for Wompatuck as well as any
funds raised by the Friends.
Fixing gates and improving park buildings may fall under the umbrella
of the state's responsibilities, but building bridges and adjusting trail
routes takes time and money. To generate some of this income, the Friends
has already reached out to local businesses.
Community voice
Jim Quinn, owner of the Bicycle Link in Weymouth, has been riding in
Wompatuck for decades and his shop hosts a road bike racing series in the
park during the summer. The attention and assistance of park staff and
various users has made his events quite popular. For this reason, Quinn
recognizes the importance of a community voice within Wompatuck.
"As the owner of a business that readily recommends Wompatuck State
Park to many of its customers, I feel that I have an obligation to belong
to the Friends of Wompatuck," said Quinn. "As a bicyclist, I never forget
how lucky we are to have the park for the road riding and off-road riding
that we do. I'm sure that I speak for all the local cycling clubs."
Jim Dillon of Scituate echoes the hope for positive community
involvement, although he's not sure the Friends will draw a wide audience.
"I don't think that (people will) care, unless they use the park, and
care what goes on there," said Dillon. "The last meeting we had several
neighbors that had concerns about what was going on near the South Pleasant
Street gate and if that area was going to be cleaned up. We all listened,
we all now know what's up, we all know what's going to be done and why. We
were all winners."
Boles of the Mountain Bike Association hopes that the Friends will add
to this winning feeling.
"I hope the park that I enjoy so much will improve as time goes on,"
said Boles. "And that it will continue to provide an unspoiled natural
outlet where the area's people can enjoy an outdoor experience."
Anyone is welcome at the Friends meetings, whether they use Wompatuck
once a year, seasonally or every day.
"Wompatuck is not just trees, ponds, wildlife and fresh air," said
Gammon, the park supervisor. "Wompatuck is fun, fitness, memories, work,
history and more."
To get involved in the Friends of Wompatuck, interested people may
show up at a meeting and/or sign up for the mailing list at the Visitor
Center.
The next meeting of the Friends of Wompatuck is set for Tuesday, Feb.
15 at 7:30p.m. at the Wompatuck Visitor Center. If you have questions about
any issue involving Wompatuck or want more details on the Friends of
Wompatuck, call Steve Gammon at 781-749-7160.
Friends of Wompatuck to meet
The Friends of Wompatuck State Park will hold its monthly meeting on
Tuesday Feb 15 at 7:30 p.m. at the Mason A. Foley Visitor Center. The
F.O.W. group is a volunteer citizen's organization dedicated to improving
the park. The group is currently working on the final draft of its mission
statement. Officers will be elected shortly. All interested citizens are
invited to join the group. Come help preserve, protect, and improve
Wompatuck. For further information contact Steve Gammons at 781-749-7160