Town opens golf course and prepares for annual seedling giveaway
The Town of Guilderland is ushering in an early spring in the usual fashion with the opening of the Western Avenue Golf Course, spring cleaning in Tawasentha Park and the annual seedling giveaway.
The Western Turnpike Golf Course kicked off the season by opening its fairways Tuesday, April 6.
We just opened up on Tuesday, and hour by hour it’s drying up nicely. Right now it’s perfect out,` said Tim Podeswa, head golf pro at the course.
He said that although the weather was nice over the first weekend in April, course officials wanted to give it more time to dry.
`Being that we are on clay, we needed to leave time for the sun to dry it out,` he said.
According to Podeswa, the golf course will open at 8 a.m. in the month of April, and beginning in May it will open at 7 a.m. The rate for Guilderland residents is $22 for 18 holes of golf, while the rate for nonresidents is $29 for weekdays and $30 for weekends.
The town’s Department of Parks and Recreation is also kicking of the season by giving away tree seedlings at its office.
`Each year, in honor of Arbor Day, the town distributes free tree seedlings,` said Linda Cure, public relations officer for department.
Guilderland residents can pick up their seedlings by visiting the Parks and Recreation office at 181 Route 146, Altamont, on Friday, April 30 from 9 a.m. to 4 p.m. and on Saturday, May 1, from 10 to 11 a.m.
She said the tradition of giving trees away on Arbor Day goes back several years, and this year, the town will be giving away Douglas fir seedlings.
Cure also said that gardeners can drop off soil samples to have the PH level tested by the Albany County Cooperative Extension.
`[The Albany County Cooperative Extension] recommends that you do a soil sample prior to the growing season so you can see if anything needs to be done with your garden,` said Cure.
Cure also said that the town has begun its spring cleaning efforts at Tawasentha Park.
`We have ongoing trail clean up in Tawasentha Park with the assistance of several local scout groups,` she said.
Although the town is working to restore trails in the park, residents will have to wait until summer to enjoy the pool in Tawasentha. The scheduled opening date for the pool is Saturday, June 19.
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