For Immediate Release Contact: Vanessa Gulati
December 4, 2006 617-626-1119
PARKS-RELATED HOLIDAY GIFTS NOW AVAILABLE FROM THE
DEPARTMENT OF CONSERVATION AND RECREATION
If you are looking for a unique and unusual gift for the outdoors enthusiast, recreation buff or golf fanatic on your holiday gift list, the Massachusetts Department of Conservation and Recreation (DCR) has several great gifts ideas for you.
The 2007 Massachusetts ParksPasses are now available for purchase. The ParksPass provides unlimited day-use parking at over 50 DCR state park facilities that charge parking fees, and it is valid now through December 31, 2007. The ParksPass can be used at ocean beaches, swimming ponds, mountain summits, and historic sites such as Salisbury Beach State Reservation, Hopkinton State Park, Walden Pond State Reservation in Concord, Wachusett Mountain in Princeton, and Mt. Greylock State Reservation in the Berkshires.
The cost is $35 for Massachusetts residents, and $45 for non-residents. This represents a significant savings for frequent park visitors as parking fees range from $2 at historic and scenic sites to $5 at inland beaches and $7 at ocean beaches. If purchased as a gift, ParksPasses can be sent directly to the intended recipient, if desired. Note that orders for ParksPasses received after December 21st cannot be guaranteed to arrive by December 25th. To purchase a ParksPass by phone, call 617-626-4969. For more information, including other purchasing methods, see http://www.mass.gov/dcr/parkspass.htm.
Gift certificates are also available for both of DCR’s
public golf courses, the Ponkapoag Golf Course
in Canton and the Leo J. Martin
Memorial Golf Course in Weston. Ponkapoag has two 18-hole courses and Martin Memorial has
one 18-hole course. Both facilities open in early April. Gift certificates can
be purchased at Ponkapoag Golf Course (2167
Washington Street, Canton) or by calling 781-828-4242. For more information on DCR’s golf courses,
see http://www.mass.gov/dcr/recreate/golf.htm.
For friends and family with a love of nature and a conservation ethic, consider making a donation in their name either to DCR’s Conservation Trust or Urban Parks Trust Fund. The Trust Funds’ assets are used to enhance the natural, cultural and recreational resources of the Commonwealth and support the Massachusetts environment in a direct and meaningful way. Contributions are tax-deductible, can be earmarked for a favorite park, facility or program, and may be made on behalf of an individual or organization. For information, contact Sharon Hoey at 617-626-1267.
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