OWNERSHIP
CONDITIONS
HISTORY
ENVIRONMENTAL AND DESIGN ISSUES
SOCIAL ISSUES
PLANNING PROCESSES

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OWNERSHIP:
City Department of Parks and Recreation

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CONDITIONS:
Competitive cross-country running courses are on unpaved but well-maintained paths that weave through the northeastern sections of Franklin Park known as the Playstead, the Bear Dens in Long Crouch Woods, and around the Playstead overlook. According to cross-country running representatives who attended Franklin Park Management Plan meetings in 2001, the courses are known in the cross-country community as some the best in the area. The trails are used intensively during the fall months of the competitive running season.

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HISTORY:
In 1914 the American Athletic Union began to hold track meets at Franklin Park. There were no parking restrictions at that time; runners and spectators parked all over the Playstead and Ellicott Dale (near what is now the George Robert White Schoolboy Stadium). There was conflict between the runners and other park users, in particular the golfers, because at that time the cross-country course looped all over the golf course.

The running paths were redesigned in 1989 and built in 1991 at a cost of $378,000 (Richard Heath, "Time to repolish Olmsted's gem," The Boston Globe, May 24, 1992). Since that time the course has attracted such prominent events as the 1991 the National Cross-Country Championships, the 1992 World Championships, and the 1994 Inter-Collegiate 4A College Championships.

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ENVIRONMENTAL and DESIGN ISSUES:
Erosion:
Parts of the cross-country trails are being eroded by overuse and rain. In particular, the pathway of crushed stone that leads into the Long Crouch Woods/ Bear Dens area from the Playstead is experiencing significant erosion. Also, along many sections of trail the grass has been completely worn away.

Parking:
In contrast to former years when car and bus use in the Playstead area was completely unrestricted, today there are some enforced guidelines for parking. For example, the NCAA Northeast Regionals 2001 posted the following message on the Internet: "We are only allowed space for ten buses. If you intend to park a bus, please let us know that as soon as possible. No one will be allowed to park a bus without express permission. There will be no restrictions on the number of cars or vans that may park at Franklin Park. After meeting our ten bus maximum, all other busses will be directed to the Morton Street parking lot after dropping athletes off, and are to wait there until summoned to pick the athletes up as they leave the park."

Despite these restrictions and guidelines, many passive users of Franklin Park who attended Franklin Park Management Plan meetings in 2001 felt that cross country meets and competitive runners infringed upon their ability to peacefully enjoy areas of the park such as the Wilderness and Long Crouch Woods. Some passive park users perceive the cars and buses as invaders in the park.

Cars on unpaved areas of the park, as well as heavy foot traffic, result in soil compaction and erosion problems. Compaction is particularly problematic in the vicinity of hemlock trees. Residents are also disturbed by the practice of painting trees to guide cross country runners.

Spray paint:
According to residents, cross-country teams occasionally spraypaint the Roxbury Puddingstone outcroppings to point the way that competitors should run.

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SOCIAL ISSUES:
There can be some animosity between groups that utilize the same space. Cross-country runners who come from throughout the city and the region have a different kind of stake in the park than the local people who use the park on a weekly or daily basis. There is a sense among some local users, particularly in the Forest Hills area, that the Wilderness and other passive sections of Franklin Park belong to the surrounding community and should not be used for active, competitive recreation. Some local park users resent the idea of Boston tax dollars being spent to provide children from the suburbs with a fine running course at the expense of Boston residents. Cross-country enthusiasts argue that their sport has a long history at Franklin Park and that the quality of the course is extraordinarily high.

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PLANNING PROCESSES:
Balancing user groups has been a major goal of the Franklin Park Management Plan process, which is being led by the Parks Department and ICON Architecture. The Management Plan was initiated in 2001 and was expected to be published in the fall of 2002. However, by May of 2003, the new management plan was still not forthcoming.

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