FOLJMS Master Plan 081315
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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? Families with young children. Aspiring and actual U.S. Ski Team Octogenarians enjoying some members preparing to represent the exercise. U.S. internationally. Visitors to Boston who have never High school freshman who took up skied before. the sport because their friends are Ten-year-old members of a youth on the team. club. Inner city middle-schoolers who are Adults getting some exercise after trying their first snow sport. work under the lights. College skiers training for their next 16-year olds getting ready for Junior race. Nationals. Twenty-somethings on a date. Adaptive skiers checking out sit- A broad cross-section of the greater skiing. Boston community! Back-country skiers preparing for an outing. Friends of Leo J. Martin Skiing 9 Recreational Skiers The LJM facility is used by recreational skiers of all ages. On a weekend day with fresh snow, the facility can see as many as 1,100 skiers. In the 2014-15 season, Weston Ski Track gave novice and intermediate cross-country ski lessons to over 1,800 skiers. The Boston Chapter of the Appalachian Mountain Club (AMC) holds low-cost Novice Nordic ski workshops at LJM on a regular basis. Back-country skiers can train and hone their skills at a facility near to their home and work and prepare properly for an outing. Skiing Is on the Rise In the 2014-2015 season, there were 42,000 paid skier-days at the Leo J. Martin cross-country ski facility, up from 34,000 just two years prior. Friends of Leo J. Martin Skiing 10 Inclusive Programs A wide range of inclusive programs are offered at LJM: In the 2014-15 season, FOLJMS and Weston Ski Track partnered with the Boston Boys and Girls Club to provide lessons to kids ages 11-15, and local youth and racing ski clubs partnered with YES Kids (Youth Enrichment Services, a Boston nonprofit) to launch a new Nordic skiing program with urban youth ages 8-13. A major goal of both programs is to inspire a lifelong appreciation and respect of healthy activities in youth participants. The Department of Conversation and Recreation (DCR) provides a Universal Access adaptive skiing program at LJM. The DCR makes Nordic skiing accessible for people with disabilities, friends and families by the use of adaptive equipment, supportive techniques, and provides assistance as needed. The New England Nordic Ski Association (NENSA) adaptive XC ski clinics are designed for veterans and others with physical disabilities and target both first-time and experienced skiers. Friends of Leo J. Martin Skiing 11 High School Programs The Leo J. Martin facility is the primary – and in low-snow seasons, the only – venue for thirteen Eastern Massachusetts high schools with cross-country ski programs. Reliable man-made snow at LJM is critical to the existence and ongoing success of these programs. The public high school teams typically have 20-50 or more skiers. All the teams are “no cuts/no tryouts” and encourage new skiers to try the sport. Many of the skiers develop strong skiing skills and personal growth as a result of taking the sport up as freshmen. Massachusetts High School Skiing Mass Bay West Mass Bay East Acton-Boxborough Regional High School Brookline High School Concord-Carlisle Regional High School Dover-Sherborn Regional High School Lincoln-Sudbury Regional High School Newton North High School Nashoba High School Newton South High School Wayland High School Weston High School Westford Academy Wellesley High School Winchester High School Private Belmont Hill School The leagues operate under the auspices of the Massachusetts Interscholastic Athletic Association (MIAA). The twelve public schools in Mass Bay East and West are approximately half the Massachusetts schools that have cross country ski teams. A typical week sees 300-400 or more high school skiers compete, with races held on two days per week (one for Mass Bay East, one for Mass Bay West). Other days of the week, the teams practice on a staggered schedule because of capacity constraints. Friends of Leo J. Martin Skiing 12 EMBK Youth Club Program (age 7 through 8th grade) The Eastern Massachusetts Bill Koch (EMBK) Youth Ski Club introduces youngsters ages 7-13 to the pleasures and benefits of cross country skiing through a seasonal ski program at the Leo J. Martin facility. In 2014-15, EMBK had 230 registered skiers from 42 towns in the Boston and Greater Boston area. A typical Saturday practice includes 200 youth skiers divided into 15-20 groups, each with 2-3 adult instructors. The club has been in operation since the 1970s and is an all-volunteer organization aimed at promoting the sport, the love of the outdoors, and an active lifestyle. EMBK is the largest youth cross-country ski club in New England, and one of the largest in the nation.