Pinecrest Property Owners Association
PO Box 123
Hubbardston, MA 01452
Questions, concerns, comments about the site? Contact the webmaster at webmaster@ppoa.info
The P.P.O.A. of Hubbardston MA
Welcome to the Pinecrest Property Owner's Association of Hubbardston, Massachusetts. Whether you are a long time home owner here, newcomer to the neighborhood, or just visiting, this website is intended to keep you informed of the news and activities happening in the neighborhood as well as give all visitors a little virtual tour of our beautiful neighborhood.A Peaceful Home in the Heart of Massachusetts
Our mission is to promote and foster the recreation, relaxation, health and fellowship of the members, and to protect, maintain and improve the recreational land and open space in Pinecrest. The neighborhood is located in the town of Hubbardston, Massachusetts, about an hour and a half from Boston. We have the advantage of living in a peaceful area surrounded by nature, but also not being too far away from larger cities like Gardner, Leominster, and Fitchburg. The neighborhood offers many activities including hiking trails, a private beach area with a great playground, and lakes that are great for boating and fishing.
A Bit of History
Pinecrest was developed by American Central Company, a subsidiary of International Paper Company as an exclusive recreation
area in the 1960s. Prospective buyers of the land were promised to have access to all the facilities including a bath house,
Snackbar, Picnic area, campground and playground. As the town increased the minimum lot building size, sales of land within slowed
and eventually transferred to the Pinecrest Property Owners Association in 1970 and for a short while in 1977 was open to the
public which included hookups for RVs, bathhouse, laundry, full liquor license, general store, and 40 sites. In the early
1980s the campground was closed, but interest among the property owners in the land and its value had sparked the construction
of more permanent housing for families forming the association as it is today.
Click the link below for even more details of Pinecrest's history!
News and Events
Upcoming activities and news you should know about.Monthly Board Meetings
Bring your issues, concerns, questions to us for discussion, or just come to listen and learn. We meet normally the first Tuesday of the month at 7 pm in the Lodge. Meetings generally last about 90 minutes.
Tuesday November 2nd
7pm via Zoom and in the Lodge
Due to the current state of the Corona Virus, Board Meetings have been held via Zoom and in the Lodge. If you would like to join, Please contact Jim Ellis @ email: ellis-sharp@mail.com to request to be added to the list.
Neighborhood News
Check out what is new as we try to post the latest information about meetings, events and general information about the area!
News: Update on the Pond Treatment (POSTED: 10/07/2021)
As you know, we had hoped to conduct hydro-raking and chemical treatment of Cushman Pond this year. Unfortunately, due to delays many caused by these challenging times, we are now scheduled to start hydro-raking, early April 2022 as soon as ice-off on Cushman Pond occurs, followed by chemical treatment. Delays in the approval of this project were a major problem with getting the chemical treatment or hydro-raking done this year. We did not receive full and final approval for the project until mid-September. DEP's complete lack of response during the state of emergency was surprising and disappointing and the biggest part of the delay. The good news is we now have full approval and it is valid for 3 years. As with many employers, Solitude has also struggled with staffing issues during these personally changing times for many. We look forward to all working together for a very successful restoration project of Cushman Pond and having all the work completed before the commencement of the swimming season on Memorial Day weekend 2022. If you have any questions please contact us at questions@ppoa.info.
Announcement: PPOA Friendship Fireplace (POSTED: 09/20/2021)
Get to know your new neighbors and reconnect with the old.
At the Lodge, inside and out. Everyone is welcome!
Feel free to bring a game, stories to share, and photos you’ve taken. We’ll have good conversation and snacks. We will provide coffee, tea, water and some snacks If you would like you can bring a snack (BYOB).
Please follow BOH masking guidelines.
News: Don't be afraid of the Scaregoose! (POSTED: 09/02/2021)
Don't be afraid of the Scaregoose! As you may have heard, we have a problem with geese making a mess of
the beach, our residents have been hard at work creating fun scarecrows to help keep them away. Look to see them
on the beach next swimming
season.
As a reminder, do not feed the geese as it encourages them to stay around and is a violation according
to the state. Thanks.
Announcement: PPOA Fall Cleanup (POSTED: 09/02/2021)
It is that time of the year again to prep the neighborhood for the end of summer.
Please join us whenever you can, for as long as you can.
When: Saturday, September 11, 2021 at 9:00am - Rain or Shine
Where: At the beach. Please join us whenever you can, for as long as you can.
Bring: Bring gloves, clippers, rakes, saws, and hoes. We also need a few people to volunteer to bring weed-whackers, hip waders, chain saws, or boats.
Planned projects:
- Pull in the swimming buoys and store in shed
- Pick up trash, including lower pond and island and below dam.
- Clear hiking trails that are overgrown with brush
- Rake the beach
- Repair tables?
- Clear/cutback brush in beach parking area and around horseshoe pit
- Maybe move horseshoe pit
Email Jim at ellis-sharp@mail.com with any questions.
Announcement: Pond Treatment Update (POSTED: 08/10/2021)
Here is a quick update From the board on yesterday's (8/9) DCR variance hearing which is required as part of the Quabbin watershed. We attended
the hearing yesterday and Jim answered several questions Dominic deferred to him on. We heard nothing concerning except at the
end they said they have 30 days to make their decision.
UPDATE 9/2/2021: the variance has been approved
News: Annual Letter to Residents (POSTED: 03/03/2021)
Covid-19 made of an off year for everyone. Below is a letter from the board recapping our year and utlining our goals for 2021.
News: A New Look (POSTED: 02/12/2021)
As you've noticed, the PPOA website got a new look. The goal was to update the design and streamline some of what worked on the
old site and loose the features that didn't work out so well. We are still working out some tweaks and formatting so we appreciate
your patience in this transition. We hope you enjoy and as always, any feedback, images of Pinecrest,
or news is welcomed and appreciated.
Click the button below to learn a little more about the 'hows' and 'whys' of the new look.
Information & Documentation
Praesent posuere fringilla elit, non maximus tellus posuere nec. Nunc eu sapien nec est elementum sodales.Meeting Minutes
The board of directors meet monthly to discuss concerns, issues and projects within the neighborhood as well as host an annual meeting where things such as the yearly budget, goals, and overall focus areas of all residents. Click the button below to catch up on all ongoing conversations.
Welcome Packet
Information for new home owners in Pinecrest. Plus some rules for loadge rentals as well as some additional information for those by the pond.
General Welcome Packet
Lodge Rental Rules and Regulations
Dock policy cover letter (2008)
Dock policy Agreement
Covenants and Deed Restrictions
Rules and regulations for the association
Association By-Laws
Covenants and Deed Restrictions
Covenants and Deed Restrictions Extentions (filed June 12 2014)
Covenant Amendment (filed March 29 2019)
Request for Administrative Approval
Cushman Pond Survey
Information about the care and maintenence of one of our top attractions.
2019 Cushman Pond Survey
Webinar By Solitude on hydro-raking
Learn more about hydro-raking
Additional Q&A
For any other questions regarding Cushman, please email questions@ppoa.info
Neighborhood Facilities
Open to members of the association are access to our pond, beach area, lodge and hiking trails scattered throughout the neighborhood.
The Lodge
The neighborhood's main building is used for most of Pincrest's offical events including monthly and annual board meetings. Associtation members are allowed to rent the lodge for private gatherings for a low fee of $50 per day. click the button below to see more about our lodge.
Cushman Pond and Beach
Cushman Pond is a shallow water-body. The depth of the pond ranges between 3 to 10 feet. and it is allowed to swim and fish. The beach area is kept clean by neighborhood volunteers and is a great place to spend a hot summer's day with the family. PPOA is required by our local Board of Health to test the pond for E. Coli bacteria on a monthly basis during the swimming season and has always passed as safe and the board of directors make the best possible efforts to protect our pond. Click below for more information.
Hiking Trails
Being surounded by nature has its benifits. One such benifits are the abundant hiking trails we have in the neighborhood. Being private land belonging to the association, our trails are taken care of by our fellow neighbors and do we love to share the ones we find!
Our Board and Contact information
Have a question? Want to become more involved? Below is a list of our current board members and the best contact for them. All positions are volunteer, though the board is elected by the association at the annual meeting when a term ends. Please note the year in parentheses represent the end of the member's term. Any memeber of the association may be elected for a board position. Associates are not elected board members, but as additional volunteers who offer a great help to the community.| President | Bill Homans (2021) | president@ppoa.info | |
| Treasurer | Jeanne E. Carter (2021) | treasurer@ppoa.info | |
| Clerk | Eric Goodhart (2021) | clerk@ppoa.info | |
| Directors | David Blad (2021) | board@ppoa.info | |
| Bob Brooks (2021) | |||
| Dennis Majikas (2021) | |||
| John Day (2021) | |||
| Bill Poudrier (2021) | |||
| Associates | Jim Ellis | board@ppoa.info | |
| Tim Humphrey | |||
| Lee Carter | |||
| Bob Cronin | |||
| Lodge Rentals | Sherry Brooks | ||
| Webmaster | Brendon Toupense | webmaster@ppoa.info |