It disappoints me greatly to criticize the behavior of The Friends of Prospect Park. As one of the first mission-based “neighborhood associations” born in our city, the very active and dedicated members of the group have shown us that when you show you care, others will begin to care. They are real citizens of Troy. They showed us, with their actions, how to be good stewards of our public spaces. They were at the forefront of people banding together for the common good. Therefore, it is unfortunate that the current uproar over the Uncle Sam Memorial Pavilion is occurring.
During last evening’s council meeting, it was stated that the Friends of Prospect Park did not want to make this political. It was further stated that the group was a-political. Ok, so I am not buying that. It was political from the outset; couldn’t help but be. One of the definitions of politics is the total complex of relations between people living in society. I don’t know all the facts and won’t pretend to. As an outsider to this particular political game, I can only speak to what I sense. I sense that someone’s ego got a little bruised here.
Ladies and gentleman, as I see it, this was Mr. Jacques dream. Mr. Jacques has been working towards this for almost a decade. Would there be an Uncle Sam Memorial Foundation if it weren’t for Mr. Jacques’ pursuing HIS dream? His intention has always been to memorialize Sam Wilson. His pavilion – built where it stands – will do just that. According to Mr. Jacques last evening, the pavilion was specifically designed for the overlook area. I believe he selected the ideal location and that the city administration was correct in allowing construction to begin.
Where were The Friends a decade ago? The Friends were in their infancy. If I recall correctly (and I’m sure if not, someone will let me know), The Friends of Prospect Park were initially formed in an attempt to keep the park’s pool from closing and then became dedicated to ensuring that the pool structure was preserved. I do not know whether that is still part of their mission. I also recall talk of rebuilding the band shell at the park. It was only further along in the group’s development that beautification become part of their mission.
Mr. Peter Grimm (president of The Friends of Prospect Park and County Legislator representing the City of Troy) is quoted in the September 1st edition of The Record as saying “The problem here is not the pavilion at all, it is the structure of people trying to work together to get things done and a non-resident renegade can do what he sees fit, not in accordance with the two organizations.” This is pure political spin, plan and simple. Mr. Grimm, you were a renegade when you established The Friends, weren’t you? Although Mr. Jacques now resides in Haynesville, he was a decades-long resident of Troy. He’s no outsider. He is president of the Uncle Sam Memorial Foundation. He is well known for his tireless work to see recognition is properly given to Sam Wilson. To besmirch his character is reprehensible.
What I think happened is that these people were unable to persuade this determinedly dedicated old Seabee from seeing HIS dream come true. Were The Friends attempting to get Mr. Jacques to change his pavilion and its location so that it could be used as a band shell too? Were the members of his foundation lobbying for a bigger facility? If that is indeed the case, a consensus was never going to be reached. It was his concept. He lived long enough to see it built.
Friday, September 3, 2010
Wednesday, September 1, 2010
Taking a Ride on a Course with History
Golf is my Dad’s passion. Frear Park Municipal Golf Course is why. Opened in 1931, Frear became an 18-hole course in 1964. Robert Trent Jones, designer of Hazeltine National and Port Royal, designed the back nine. Frear Park is a gem of a course and she belongs to us - the 5th hole’s signature ravine; the vistas from the 4th fairway and the 7th green. Her rolling hills, jotting knolls and tricky greens make her a challenging course that deserves respect. She’s 79 years old. For 62 of those years, my dad has played her. He’s seen changes – some good, others not.
My dad is Tony VonFricken. If you’ve played a weekend tournament there this year, Dad was your course ranger. He enjoys working for Larry Riley and with guys like Billy McConnell, Ronnie Frazier and Gus Gorman. He served as Chairman of the Rensselaer County Amateur Tournament for 8 years following Col. Bill McGiff. As a founding member of the Frear Park Golf Association he worked to improve the course, serving as Vice-President then President. During his tenure, the FPGA and the RCAT donated 125 Austrian Pines to the city for the course. We went for a ride on his course and he told me how he was hooked on golf as a kid. This is his story, told to me from his unique perspective.
One day, I was running around the park. John Monahan was giving golf lessons over at the Sunday Tee. He called out to me asking if I’d like to shag balls. Said he’d pay me $.40 a lesson. I’d roundup the balls, put them in a bucket and bring them back to him after each lesson. Shagging balls netted me $4.80 a weekend. Can you imagine how happy I was at 10 to be earning that kind of money to give to my mother? My father was only earning $8.00 a week. As I earned, I learned by listening to Mr. Monahan. Later, I caddied for some of the best players in the area - men like Tony Camprone, Al Serian and Gerald Messier. The mayor’s “Hook a Kid on Golf” program is the best thing I’ve seen up here in a long time. It gives kids a chance to learn the game. I love it. Hope it comes back next year. I’d like to help out with it.
This place is nothing like it was back in 1948 though, when it was a pure links 9-hole course. The tee boxes didn’t have grass just dirt, the greens were hand-mowed using push mowers, and the bunkers were mostly stony sand. These fairways were lined with 2-foot tall hay fields, called heather. Farmers came in and baled it for the city every fall. It was farmland – mostly hay and cornfields. There was a farmhouse near where the 8th fairway is. We used to pump the water up from its well, taking a sip from the tin cup attached to it by a chain. That was great water. The well was capped off years ago though.
The course is in rough shape. Lots of reasons but the staff isn’t one of them. Mark (Yamin) is top notch. So’s his crew. It’s hard work to keep this course playable especially with half the fulltime staff needed. The players aren’t helping either with their disrespectful lack of etiquette. Most don’t follow the 90-degree rule, driving the carts on the fairways instead of the cart paths and they’re not removing their broken tees. Do you know the havoc those things play on the mowers?
Mainly, it’s the drought. There hasn’t been enough rain this year to green anything that isn’t irrigated. The soil is so compacted in the fairways on the front nine that it’s like golfing on concrete. The grounds haven’t been aerated in at least 6 years. The city doesn’t own the right equipment. The tractor used to do it broke down and sat for a few years. They finally fixed it. Once the season ends, Mark will get the course properly aerated. That’ll make a big difference in how the course plays next year.
Water’s the problem on the back 9 too. Only here we’ve got too much and the drainage system isn’t working right. Water from the underground spring isn’t flowing where we need it too. See these ponds. They're supposed to be drainage ponds. Instead they’re algae farms, so stagnant that ducks and geese won’t use them. This pond, built two years ago to drain water from the 13th, 14th and 15th fairways, isn’t finished. The outlet pipe sits 6” above the water line. Neither pond has flowing water. Easily fixed by installing water spray units in there. The request for them apparently was denied.
The 6th tee used to be here (between where the basketball court and the softball fields are now off of North Lake). Lou Anthony had it moved so that playground could be built over there. As far as I'm concerned, the city ruined the best hole on the course doing that. See that port-a-potty? That’s the only bathroom out here. We’ve been told there’s no way to get water and sewer onto the course. That pot sits 100’ from North Lake. Water and sewer lines could be brought in from there without too much trouble and another added near the 13th green/14th tee by running lines in from Humiston Avenue. Bathrooms out here would not only serve the golfers and ballplayers in the summer, they’d serve the sledders in the winter too.
There’s Arcadia Pavilion. Great building, you should see the stone fireplaces in there - magnificent. Dances were held in there back in the 30’s. Now, it’s storage. They move the equipment down here from the buildings up by the 1st green during the summer. It doesn’t make sense. Storage isn’t what the space was meant for. I’ve always thought it would be great to have our Clubhouse and Pro Shop in there; that’d be classy. Wouldn’t it?
My dad is Tony VonFricken. If you’ve played a weekend tournament there this year, Dad was your course ranger. He enjoys working for Larry Riley and with guys like Billy McConnell, Ronnie Frazier and Gus Gorman. He served as Chairman of the Rensselaer County Amateur Tournament for 8 years following Col. Bill McGiff. As a founding member of the Frear Park Golf Association he worked to improve the course, serving as Vice-President then President. During his tenure, the FPGA and the RCAT donated 125 Austrian Pines to the city for the course. We went for a ride on his course and he told me how he was hooked on golf as a kid. This is his story, told to me from his unique perspective.
______________________________________________________
One day, I was running around the park. John Monahan was giving golf lessons over at the Sunday Tee. He called out to me asking if I’d like to shag balls. Said he’d pay me $.40 a lesson. I’d roundup the balls, put them in a bucket and bring them back to him after each lesson. Shagging balls netted me $4.80 a weekend. Can you imagine how happy I was at 10 to be earning that kind of money to give to my mother? My father was only earning $8.00 a week. As I earned, I learned by listening to Mr. Monahan. Later, I caddied for some of the best players in the area - men like Tony Camprone, Al Serian and Gerald Messier. The mayor’s “Hook a Kid on Golf” program is the best thing I’ve seen up here in a long time. It gives kids a chance to learn the game. I love it. Hope it comes back next year. I’d like to help out with it.
This place is nothing like it was back in 1948 though, when it was a pure links 9-hole course. The tee boxes didn’t have grass just dirt, the greens were hand-mowed using push mowers, and the bunkers were mostly stony sand. These fairways were lined with 2-foot tall hay fields, called heather. Farmers came in and baled it for the city every fall. It was farmland – mostly hay and cornfields. There was a farmhouse near where the 8th fairway is. We used to pump the water up from its well, taking a sip from the tin cup attached to it by a chain. That was great water. The well was capped off years ago though.
The course is in rough shape. Lots of reasons but the staff isn’t one of them. Mark (Yamin) is top notch. So’s his crew. It’s hard work to keep this course playable especially with half the fulltime staff needed. The players aren’t helping either with their disrespectful lack of etiquette. Most don’t follow the 90-degree rule, driving the carts on the fairways instead of the cart paths and they’re not removing their broken tees. Do you know the havoc those things play on the mowers?
Mainly, it’s the drought. There hasn’t been enough rain this year to green anything that isn’t irrigated. The soil is so compacted in the fairways on the front nine that it’s like golfing on concrete. The grounds haven’t been aerated in at least 6 years. The city doesn’t own the right equipment. The tractor used to do it broke down and sat for a few years. They finally fixed it. Once the season ends, Mark will get the course properly aerated. That’ll make a big difference in how the course plays next year.
Water’s the problem on the back 9 too. Only here we’ve got too much and the drainage system isn’t working right. Water from the underground spring isn’t flowing where we need it too. See these ponds. They're supposed to be drainage ponds. Instead they’re algae farms, so stagnant that ducks and geese won’t use them. This pond, built two years ago to drain water from the 13th, 14th and 15th fairways, isn’t finished. The outlet pipe sits 6” above the water line. Neither pond has flowing water. Easily fixed by installing water spray units in there. The request for them apparently was denied.
The 6th tee used to be here (between where the basketball court and the softball fields are now off of North Lake). Lou Anthony had it moved so that playground could be built over there. As far as I'm concerned, the city ruined the best hole on the course doing that. See that port-a-potty? That’s the only bathroom out here. We’ve been told there’s no way to get water and sewer onto the course. That pot sits 100’ from North Lake. Water and sewer lines could be brought in from there without too much trouble and another added near the 13th green/14th tee by running lines in from Humiston Avenue. Bathrooms out here would not only serve the golfers and ballplayers in the summer, they’d serve the sledders in the winter too.
There’s Arcadia Pavilion. Great building, you should see the stone fireplaces in there - magnificent. Dances were held in there back in the 30’s. Now, it’s storage. They move the equipment down here from the buildings up by the 1st green during the summer. It doesn’t make sense. Storage isn’t what the space was meant for. I’ve always thought it would be great to have our Clubhouse and Pro Shop in there; that’d be classy. Wouldn’t it?
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