Ever heard of ‘gaga ball?’ If not, you’re not alone because neither had the Marion Conservation Commission until aspiring Eagle Scout Jackson Saint Don on April 25 proposed installing a gaga ball pit at Silvershell Beach for his Eagle Scout project.
“Is Lady Gaga gonna come play?” asked Conservation Commission Chairman Cynthia Callow. “No? Never mind…”
Saint Don, son of Conservation Commission member Kristen Saint Don, said he came up with the idea for his Eagle Scout project while at Boy Scout camp where he saw his first gaga ball pit. Saint Don said he approached Recreation Department Director Jody Dickerson and asked if he could make one for Silvershell Beach, and Dickerson gave the nod. Saint Don gave a Google Earth image of the beach and circled in red where Dickerson approved the gaga ball pit placement nearer to the road.
“The entire project is pretty simple in the fact that it doesn’t require many supplies besides wood and corner brackets,” said Saint Don, “but I found a way to make … recycled plastic drums instead of metal.”
The pit, which will be octagonal and 25 to 30 feet in diameter, will be constructed of pressure-treated wood dug about one inch into the sand. The pit can be disassembled and stored should a strong storm approach the area; otherwise, the pit would remain at the beach year round.
This concerned commission member Jeffrey Doubrava, who worried that perhaps a storm surge could send the pit into a neighbor’s house and asked if the pit should somehow be anchored. And although the project would undoubtedly be approved by the commission, said Doubrava, “I don’t want to be a hard case, but the person who was going to put two benches in Sprague’s Cove had to file a [Request for Determination of Applicability.” He continued, “If the rules don’t apply to everybody, pretty soon they don’t apply to anybody.”
Walsh said the commission required Susannah Davis to file a RDA for the Sprague’s Cove benches because the commission was unclear as to how many and what size benches and where she planned to place them. And although Saint Don’s project was likely within a velocity zone, the gaga ball pit is not a permanent structure. Furthermore, Saint Don demonstrated exactly what his plan was and where he would place the ball pit, Walsh pointed out.
“That being said, is this an activity that will remove, fill, dredge, or alter the [resource area]?” asked Walsh. “I think the argument could be made, ‘no.’ If the design is for a more permanent structure with stakes or what-have-you, then you start to get into a potential alteration.” He continued, “I don’t see what filing an RDA would accomplish. It doesn’t remove, fill, dredge, or alter a jurisdictional resource area.”
Still, Doubrava was concerned about consistency in policy and advocated for the RDA, and also about the potential for damage during a storm.
“I don’t think the first thing that’s on people’s minds if a hurricane is coming is, ‘Gotta go get the gaga pit,’” said commission member Joel Hartley.
“I do think that if a hurricane is coming, the [Recreation Department] or the DPW is looking to batten down the hatches and would be going to all the public properties … whether it’s lifeguard stands or benches or trash barrels or a gaga pit,” argued Walsh. “I’m assuming that’s probably the practice.”
And to Doubrava’s point, Walsh added, one of the benches was to be placed right on the water at Sprague’s Cove, which the commission only found out when Davis filed her RDA.
“I’m not suggesting we apply special rules just because it’s an Eagle Scout project,” said Walsh, “I just don’t see the utility in requiring an RDA for this type of project where it is really no more than … setting up a tent or some other easily removed structure.”
Callow agreed with Walsh.
“I think an RDA is excessive, but I think it’s a good project,” Callow said. “Again, Ms. Davis failed to tell the commission where she was going to put [the benches], how she was going to put them. This is not the case. I’m confident that it can be removed in a hurricane or a storm.”
The commission did ask Saint Don to contact the DPW to inform them of the project and work out any concerns from that department. Saint Don will return to the Conservation Commission with an update before the selectmen’s meeting.
Gaga ball is a fast-paced “free-for-all,” as Saint Don described it, where players of all ages and in any number-sized group can enter the pit and throw the ball at players below the knees – but the ball has to hit the ground twice, Saint Don said. “’Ga’ is Hebrew for ‘hit,’” said Saint Don, thus the double hit – ga-ga.
“What’s nice about this game is there’s no skill gap so people of all ages can play,” said Saint Don. “I figured it would be a nice addition to the town beach for the summer camp because I know there’s usually a lot of kids there and kids of all ages can play.”
“It sounds like a great sport,” said Walsh, “because as you said, kids and adults of all abilities can play it and … it’s much a game of luck as it is of skill … and it sounds like, in my opinion, a great addition to the Silvershell Beach area.”
Saint Don, 17, a student of Upper Cape Tech and a Boy Scout of seven years, said he one day wants to be an environmental officer for the Environmental Protection Agency.
In other matters, the commission responded to a complaint about 120 Front Street, owned by Christian Loranger, where a resident reported that some dumping of debris had occurred within the wetlands. And although there was a lot of debris making the site unattractive, the commission acknowledged that there was no dumping in the actual wetlands.
“Someone is not happy,” Hartley commented about the complaint.
Doubrava noted that the commission responds to all complaints lodged by residents; however, he added, “I don’t want to be used by the citizenry if there’s somebody they don’t like.”
Also during the meeting, the commission approved the Notices of Intent of two pier projects related in nature – an alteration to a Chapter 91 licensed pier at 91 Water Street and the moving and attachment of the abutting property’s pier to the 91 Water Street pier.
The next meeting of the Marion Conservation Commission is scheduled for May 9 at 7:00 pm at 7:00 pm at the Marion Town House.
Marion Conservation Commission
By Jean Perry