By Jack Jemsek

The Cherry Hill Working Group’s final report is still in draft, with its last meeting scheduled for October 7. The report will then be presented to the Town later this month. The recommendations below come from the September integrated draft and could change.

For many Amherst residents, Cherry Hill is a golf course. For others, it is the place to ski after the first real snowfall, a hill to sled down, a loop for the cross-country team, or a quiet walk in the off-season. Over the past year, the Cherry Hill Working Group (CHWG) has tried to answer a question that touches all of those uses: how should Amherst look after Cherry Hill for the long term?

The group, chaired by Michele Miller, answers this question in its draft final report. It says Cherry Hill should stay a town-owned, affordable municipal golf course and also grow as a four-season recreation area. The report says these goals support each other rather than compete.

The group was charged with advising the Town Manager, Paul Bockelman, on three main items: 1) whether golf can remain viable at Cherry Hill, 2) how to manage the course and keep it financially sustainable, and 3) what other or compatible uses the land might have. That charge also covered land and legal constraints, finances, community benefit, and a five-year financial plan.

The group heard from town staff, reviewed comparable approaches, and examined operating and financial data. It also held a public listening session at the clubhouse on April 12, 2026, where residents, golfers, and recreational users shared their views.

The report says Cherry Hill’s challenges are mostly structural, not the fault of the people who work there. A small core staff, backed by part-time and seasonal workers, handles a lot. Seasonal grounds jobs have been hard to fill at municipal wages, and the course relies on a few people with specialized knowledge. The report calls this an operational vulnerability.

Money is part of the same problem. Based on the group’s analysis, the course has recently brought in enough revenue to cover its direct operating costs. But this appears to be a recent development, as numerous references over the years show that course income does not cover expenses, and certainly doesn’t cover the capital costs needed to replace aging equipment. 

The CHWG identified accounting issues with the course, as tracking profit and loss is complicated because revenue goes to the town’s general fund, while spending is approved through the regular municipal budget.

Recommended Actions

The report’s recommendations fall into six general areas:

A dedicated manager. Cherry Hill is one of the many recreation facilities overseen by the Recreation Department. The CHWG instead recommended that the town establish a staff position responsible for running and planning Cherry Hill. It also recommended placing that position in the Finance Department rather than Recreation. The report says this reflects the facility’s enterprise-like nature and the need for focused financial oversight. Other staffing recommendations include reviewing seasonal wages and creating a succession and cross-training plan so the staff’s institutional knowledge isn’t lost, i.e., if and when long-time course superintendent John Coelho retires. 

A revolving fund. The CHWG recommends moving Cherry Hill to a departmental revolving fund. Under this approach, course revenue would be dedicated to covering operating costs, and the books would show revenues and expenses side by side. The report says this would improve transparency without removing town oversight. The group also considered an enterprise fund and the current approach. 

Targeted investment. The report suggested that better course conditions, equipment, technology, and clubhouse use will increase play at Cherry Hill and, in turn, bring in more revenue. It recommends a prioritized multi-year capital plan, along with a modern tee-time and point-of-sale system that most golf courses now use. The report also warns that delaying staffing, maintenance, and capital needs risks lowering course quality and revenue. The group stresses that affordability is one of Cherry Hill’s strengths and should be preserved and promoted.

Four-season use. Nordic skiing on roughly three kilometers of groomed terrain has a long history at Cherry Hill, including use by the Amherst Hurricanes ski program. The report recommends promoting Cherry Hill as a year-round destination and providing clear guidance to keep golfers, skiers, runners, disc golfers, and walkers from getting in each other’s way. To make winter use more viable, the CHWG suggested gradually expanding winter recreation and building on events such as the successful annual Winterfest at Cherry Hill. If winter use increases, larger investments, such as snowmaking, may be justified.

A Friends of Cherry Hill group. The CHWG adopted a recommendation to form a Friends organization to support volunteers, fundraising, partnerships, and improvement projects. The report is clear about its role: the Friends would support Cherry Hill, not manage it, and town staff would retain responsibility for operations, budgets, personnel, and safety. The group also adopted a recommendation for an internal town staff advisory committee to provide ongoing guidance. This would be akin to the success of the Friends of Amherst Dog Park at the relatively new dog park on Old Belchertown Road.

Partnerships. The report sees promise in closer ties with UMass Amherst, local schools, nonprofits, and businesses. Ideas include student engagement, internships, turf management and land stewardship programs, co-sponsored events, and sponsorships. These partnerships would complement the town’s responsibility for management and stewardship, not replace it.

Is golf viable?

The report says yes, on conditions. Based on the information reviewed, the group sees a viable future for municipal golf at Cherry Hill when paired with focused management, adequate staffing, transparent finances, strategic reinvestment, and thoughtful revenue development.

The report also cautions that its five-year financial scenarios are a planning tool, not a forecast. Results will depend on rounds played, pricing, weather, staffing, and capital costs. Town finance staff should verify key assumptions before relying on them for budget decisions.

The question has been raised whether the course should be self-supporting, as earlier analyses have consistently shown that the course operated at a loss. However, Cherry Hill is featured in the town’s Open Space and Recreation Plan, which states that Cherry Hill meets the need for public golf by offering “affordable access for new and experienced golfers” and recommends free and low-cost lessons, tournaments, and activities to reach low- and moderate-income residents. It also credits the property with serving Nordic skiers, sledders, and the regional high school’s cross-country team. 

During the review of the CHWG’s charge, David Ziomek, the Town’s Director of Conservation and Development, said Cherry Hill is deed-restricted for recreation and conservation use, in part because of the nature of the grants used to acquire the land in 1987. Specifically, the deed states that the land was acquired “for the purposes of recreation, conservation, roadway development, including the acquisition and operation of a municipal golf course”. 

What Happens Next

The report recommends that the Town focus on appropriate stewardship of Cherry Hill by providing the necessary leadership, a clearer financial structure, realistic staffing, and a plan for its future recreational use, with active community participation.

The report is advice, not policy. The Town Manager and other town officials decide on a revolving fund, a new management position, and capital spending. The working group’s last scheduled meeting is October 7, and the public can follow the process on the town’s Cherry Hill Working Group page. 

For residents who care about Cherry Hill, whether they golf, ski, sled, or walk, the Friends group may be the most direct way to promote the property’s beneficial use.