Disc golf at Cookson Park in Worcester ruled out because neighbors object

On June 12, 2024By Rgal Nv

WORCESTER ― There will be no disc golf at Cookson Park.

Residents told the Worcester Sports Foundation, a nonprofit organization that wanted to bring a disc golf course to Cookson, that they did not want the sport in their neighborhood.

The message came from about 20 residents who attended a community meeting earlier this month, said Mary Leovich, founder of the Friends of Cookson Park, a grassroots group that cares for the park in the College neighborhood. Hill.

Residents’ concerns included the possibility of increased noise, litter, parking issues and impacts on wildlife, said Leovich, who attended the meeting.

The foundation respects the neighborhood’s concerns and will not work with the city to offer Cookson a course, said Jeff Turgeon, a foundation executive who attended the meeting.

“A lot of neighbors see the park as a sort of urban sanctuary and are afraid of losing an aspect of it,” Turgeon said. “We’re not here to try to push something forward that wouldn’t be supported by local residents.”

Turgeon previously said it would cost $100,000 to build a course at Cookson, with no taxpayer money involved. Donations and corporate sponsorships would cover expenses.

The foundation felt Cookson was an ideal location because its 26 acres provide more than enough terrain, and its rolling topography presents a competitive challenge for players.

Worcester is likely out of the running for any future courses hosted by the foundation, as Turgeon said land availability in the city is limited. Areas outside of Worcester are potential landing spots for a course and Turgeon declined to name them.

Disc golf, like regular golf, has up to 18 holes. Players throw a disc at a bucket suspended from a post at each hole. The person with the fewest total attempts wins.

A consultant hired by the city in 2004 determined that $600,000 was needed to repair Cookson Park because it had fallen into disrepair. Some of the same dilapidated features remain today, including overgrown brush that gets in the way of trails, worn benches, and decrepit playground equipment.