Mayor Domenic J. Sarno joined with Health & Human Services Commissioner Helen Caulton Harris; Parks, Buildings, & Recreation Management Director Thomas Ashe; Director of Open Space Peter Krupczak, Veterans’ Services Deputy Director William St. Denis, Golf Course Managers Dave Couco and Rick Lombardi, and Senior Greens Superintendent Anthony Kowal at Veterans Golf Course, one of the city’s two public municipal courses, today to provide a demonstration on the Adaptive Golf Carts that are now available at both Franconia Golf Course and Veteran’s Memorial Golf Course in Springfield.
Over the summer, the city joined with Mike Foster, a former brave and dedicated police officer who is now severely disabled, and Springfield Lodge of Elks #61 Representatives Gary Delisle and Jeff Barbeau, to announce that the city, through the Health Department’s Commission on Disability, was able to purchase two adaptive golf carts for Springfield’s public municipal golf courses so golfers with documented physical disabilities can enjoy the game in a safe, accessible way.
Today, the city proudly announced that two SoloRider adaptive golf carts have arrived in Springfield and are available for those with documented physical disabilities that may need them to enjoy the game of golf at our Springfield courses. Senior Greens Superintendent Anthony Kowal provided a demonstration of how the specialty golf cart works. This initiative to bring this resource to our city was a collaborative effort from the Parks Department and the Health Department’s Commission on Disability, and was driven by advocacy from a local golfer who is now disabled, Mr. Mike Foster who is also a former brave and dedicated police officer, and folks from the Springfield Lodge of Elks #61, especially Gary Delisle and Jeff Barbeau.
Mayor Sarno states, “I am so thankful to PBRM Executive Director Ashe, HHS Commissioner Caulton Harris, the Commission of Disabilities and my brother and sister Elks for their collaboration on this inclusive project for the City of Springfield’s beautiful golf courses. As Mike shared when we first announced this initiative, he not only advocated for this initiative for himself to have access to the courses, but more importantly for those young and old, who can take advantage and enjoy this accessibility to the game of golf.”
Mayor Sarno states, “I believe we are the first in Western Massachusetts to do this and possibly one of the few who have done it in the state and country. Hopefully other golf courses will follow our lead. We are proud of our excellent, yet affordable public golf course system and excited to continue to expand access to our courses. I also saw today the progress on the indoor renovations coming to Veteran’s Clubhouse, similar renovation are taking place at Franconia. Stay tuned!”
