FRIENDS OF LEO J. MARTIN SKIING
LEO J. MARTIN SKIING MASTER PLAN
August 13, 2015
Friends of Leo J. Martin Skiing 2
The Leo J. Martin facility is the most densely-used Nordic ski area in New England. It serves families and recreational skiers of all ages while producing athletes of national caliber.
This plan is designed to place Nordic skiing in Eastern Massachusetts on a sustainable footing and to support its future growth.
Friends of Leo J. Martin Skiing 3
Photographs in this plan are courtesy of Lauren Hefferon, Jamie Doucett, Chris City and Wikimedia Foundation.
Friends of Leo J. Martin Skiing 4
CONTENTS
Executive Summary 7 FOLJMS Mission Statement 8 Location and Use 9 Existing Conditions 17 FOLJMS Objectives 19 Physical Resources Development Plan 21 FOLJMS Directors and Advisory Board 27
Appendix I: Trail Map, Weston Ski Track 31 Appendix II: Snowmaking at LJM 32 Appendix III: Letters of Support 37
Friends of Leo J. Martin Skiing 5
Friends of Leo J. Martin Skiing 6
EXECUTIVE SUMMARY
This Master Plan, developed by the Friends of Leo J. Martin Skiing (FOLJMS), outlines a vision for expanding and improving the cross-country skiing facilities at the Leo J. Martin golf course and ski center in Weston, Massachusetts. The Leo J. Martin facility is owned by the Commonwealth of Massachusetts and administered by the Department of Conservation and Recreation (DCR). The ultimate goal of these efforts is to expand opportunities for the residents of Eastern Massachusetts to enjoy cross-country skiing.
The central location of the Leo J. Martin ski center and the facility’s proven ability to use manmade snow to provide reliable skiing in an urban setting creates unique opportunities for a public-private partnership that can meet the growing demand for this healthy outdoor winter sport.
Years of steady growth have brought the pleasures of cross-country skiing to increasing numbers of people in the greater Boston community: in the 2014-2015 season there were 42,000 paid skier-days. But this growth has also pushed the capacity of the Leo J. Martin ski center to its limits. FOLJMS seeks to work with the DCR to expand and improve the skiing experience for the full range of users, including recreational skiers, families, high school programs, youth learn-to-ski programs, racing programs, adaptive programs, and outreach to communities not traditionally associated with skiing.
As described in this Master Plan, FOLJMS envisions achieving these goals through investing in trail development, additional snowmaking capacity, and grooming equipment; by making other improvements to the facility; and by working with the DCR to use national best practices to exploit the natural synergies between summer golf and winter skiing operations at this dual-use facility.
FOLJMS envisions a public-private partnership with the Commonwealth in which FOLJMS brings significant private resources to these efforts. To justify fundraising and capital improvements, FOLJMS therefore seeks to enter into a long-term (ten or, ideally twenty year) lease with the Commonwealth in which FOLJMS manages the skiing operations, including snowmaking, grooming, ticket sales, rentals, lessons, and retail operations; the DCR adopts a dual-use management plan; and FOLJMS raises significant private funds to upgrade the ski facility.
FOLJMS is a nonprofit organization representing the institutions and individuals who use the Leo J. Martin ski center, with more than 600 individual members from throughout the Greater Boston ski community. FOLJMS is the operating name of the Boston Area Nordic Ski Association, Inc., a 501(c)3 entity incorporated in Massachusetts.
Friends of Leo J. Martin Skiing 7
FOLJMS MISSION STATEMENT
To promote and enhance opportunities for cross country skiing at the Leo J. Martin ski center; to promote public awareness of the benefits of cross-country skiing and encourage inclusive public participation in cross-country skiing in the Greater Boston area; and to develop the Leo J. Martin ski center into a facility that meets the full range of current and future needs of the Nordic skiing community in Eastern Massachusetts.
For more information about FOLJMS: www.foljms.org www.facebook.com/FOLJMS
Friends of Leo J. Martin Skiing 8
LOCATION AND USE
The Leo J. Martin ski center is located at the intersection of the Mass Pike and I-95 in Weston and is conveniently accessible for much of the Greater Boston population. According to Snowsports Industries America, Massachusetts has more cross-country skiers than any other state, with nearly 10% of the national cross-country skiing population. Leo J. Martin is the busiest cross-country ski facility in Massachusetts. Indeed, in 2013-14 (the latest year for which data is available) the number of skier visits to Leo J. Martin alone equaled 25% of the skier visits to all of the Nordic ski areas in New Hampshire combined.
Who skis at Leo J. Martin?