Before I get to Jeff's questions, I want to thank others who have mentioned Joe Bausch & I as originally spearheading this effort but I'm uncomfortable with singling us out as this was more akin to a relay race with many heroes to this story. Chris Lange, probably the second best amateur golfer in Philadelphia history next to Jay Sigel who caught the Cobb's bug at the same time as us was able to bring this story to the attention of the prominent families associated with the prestigious private courses in the area and thus provide a funding base, and much, much more from contract negotiations to administrative oversight over the past decade. Chris Maguire, and the entire philanthropic Maguire Family and Foundation who had to have the patience of saints over these many years and provided the leadership and resources necessary to create the Cobbs Creek Restoration and Community Foundation, and continue to run it as a family non-profit business to this day. None of this would have happened without their hard work, community spirit, and love for the game of golf and the city of Philadelphia.
However, in my opinion the real unsung champion is historian/teacher/businessman/entrepreneur and GCA-er R. John Burnes, aka rjburnes. I first met John here on GCA and then in person ten years ago yesterday at Trenton Country Club as I had helped him with some research into that course's origins. It was clear we had many shared passions and even some work-related connections and in the next two years John single-handedly was able to get a historic monument built in Philadelphia honoring John McDermott, the first American-born US Open Champion who proceeded Francis Ouiment but whose story was largely lost to time before John resurrected and spotlighted it. During 2013, our Cobb's group got a lot of press including a nice segment on "The Golf Channel" in conjunction with the US Open at Merion and it seemed we were tracking, yet by late in 2014 it seemed we were running in mud as we had very little knowledge or experience with the powers that be in Philadelphia government.
Right before Christmas 2014 John agreed to meet with Joe B. and I for lunch at El Limon in Conshohocken. We learned that John grew up in Upper Darby and as a kid used to mow the greens at Cobb's. Further, John's family had a long history with Philadelphia government and through John's family and business connections (including the Maguire family) spent much of the next four years as a one man lobbying and community outreach team, meeting with local citizens groups in the neighborhood of the golf course, as well as more city officials than I can name. Through it all his dogged determination, described by some in City Hall as a "Force of Nature", John was able to get our message to the right people until we reached critical mass, such that by the time this went to a vote of City Council in June of 2018 we received unanimous approval and the Mayor's signature the same day.
Of course, that original agreement had a set of requirements that both sides had to meet and not satisfied with the interim victory John went to work from a fundraising and continuing community outreach standpoint. John effectively and essentially worked full-time for free at this effort until such time as he was asked to become an executive within the Cobb's Creek Foundation, which grew to an effective, multi-dimensional organization while he was there. During 2021, John left to pursue new challenges yet continues to help our efforts wherever and whenever possible. I'm sure he doesn't want me writing this as he prefers to work behind the scenes...but I'd be remiss not to do so.
Thank you, John. This would have never happened without you.