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About The Outsiders
There have been organized efforts to curtail public access to our public parks. This is an ongoing issue with disc golf in Bidwell Park, and other recreations who are less vocal could be targeted. Our mission is to be advocates for low cost recreation and open public access to our parks. This advocacy takes the form of information distribution, providing organized public support, and funding/building facilities to enhance recreation opportunities. To learn more add your name to our newsletter distribution list. To join us follow this link.
Candidates speak out on disc golf
All 8 Chico City Council candidates were asked whether they support disc golf continuing to exist off of hioghway 32. The responses we rec eived are listed below (or click here).
Donate today to get disc golf equipment to local schools / youth programs
We're asking for donations to provide disc golf equipment to local schools and youth programs. We can accept Visa and Mastercard or email us if you would like information on how to write a check or donate cash (info@chico-outsiders.com). All funds are raised in conjunction with the Golden Valley Bank Community Foundation, and are tax exempt.
Sherwood Forest Kids' Disc Golf Course Opens
The Outsiders and our sponsors gave 150 custom Robin Hood golf discs to kids. About 300 people were present for the event including 3 members of the Board of Directors for the Chico Area Parks and Recreation District (CARD, who owns the course), 3 Chico City Councilors, and 2 Park Commissioners. This was a great event and great day for disc golf in Chico. The Sherwood Forest course is located at Hooker Oark Recreation Area . Here is a map to the site.
Park Commission Votes For Disc Golf
On August 25th the Park Commission voted to approve the environmental impact report for the Bidwell Park Master Management Plan, including disc golf option A. This option builds an advanced and beginner course similar to what already exists, but modifying layout to move disc golf away from sensitive plant species.

4 Park Commissioners, Candela, Lucas, Wood, and Walker voted in support of disc golf, with the caveat that disc golfers build and maintain the courses. Some public funding may be available through Proposition 40 funds ($52,000). 3 Commissioners, Barrett, Emmerich, and Ober voted to remove disc golf.

The room was full with opponents of recreation who pulled out all of the stops to remove people out of the park. But in support of disc golf were families, and working class people, who made the case for supporting low-cost recreation.

The EIR and recommended option A will now be forwarded to the City Council where the path to approval will be more difficult. This golfers should be very proud of last night's win, but it is the first step in keeping our recreation in Chico and not the last.
Bidwell Junior High - Blast
Chico Area Recreation and Park District (CARD)
Chico Country Day School
75 golf discs were donated in May to three local youth organizations (2 schools and the recreation district) by the Outsiders and the Golden Valley Bank Community Foundation (photos of the discs and recipients above).

The discs were purchased from the Disc Golf Association at a discount, and were a combination of putters and drivers. 25 were donated to the Chico Area Recreation and Park District (CARD), 25 to Bidwell Junior High's Blast program, and 25 to Chico Country Day School (elementary school).

Donating these discs is an inexpensive way to introduce young people to disc golf, and make it easier for these groups to involve more kids in the recreation. The discs will remain with the programs and used by different kids each year. Both schools already had homemade disc golf targets, and CARD holds Camp Chi-Da-Ca every year which is adjacent to the Sherwood Forest disc golf course.

We are still looking for donations to help continue this program. Please consider donating any amount to support disc golf, a lifelong recreation, being taught to our kids (see donation link above to make a donation).
Online donation system by ClickandPledge
2008 Chico City Council candidate positions on disc golf
The Outsiders emailed all Chico City Council candidates for the 2008 election. Where we could find the candidate's web site we have linked to it via their name. We asked three question. Most of the questions are self-explainatory, but #2 deserves some background information.

Disc golf course design "option A" was recently recommended for approval by the Bidwell Park and Playground Commission. This option includes modified 18 hole advanced and beginner courses similar to what exists at the highway 32 site. Option B is an 18 hole advanced course and 12 hole beginner course. Option C is an 18 hole advanced course and no beginner course. Option D is removal of disc golf and an expensive restoration project. Here are the responses.
Mark Sorensen -
1.  Do you support the continued use of the highway 32 site for disc golf?
Yes

2.  Do you support option A of the Bidwell Park Master Management Plan update EIR as recommended by the Bidwell Park and Playground Commission?
Yes

3.  Have you ever played disc golf?
Yes

[Outsider Notes: Sorensen was one of the volunteers that helped build the Sherwood Forest disc golf course.]
Jim Walker -
1.  Do you support the continued use of the highway 32 site for disc golf?
I support disc golf at its current location if the disc golf community can organize to fund the course construction, operation and maintenance working within the guidelines of the EIR in the Bidwell Park Master Management Plan.

2.  Do you support option A of the Bidwell Park Master Management Plan update EIR as recommended by the Bidwell Park and Playground Commission?
My motion included Option A [see notes below].

3.  Have you ever played disc golf?
 I do not play disc golf.

I have supported responsible outdoor recreation during my terms on the Park Commission and while serving on the CARD board of directors. During my time with CARD we built Oak Way Park, purchased the land for DeGarmo Park, built the 20th St Fieldhouse and maintained good working relationships with the City of Chico and the Chico Unified School District to maximize facility use. The Park Commission tries to carefully balance environmental preservation with recreation. I think it is important to "keep upper park wild."

I do not see the current disc golf site as a gateway to further organized active recreation in upper park nor does it have a significant impact on the beautiful serenity we have experienced since Annie Bidwell made her donation to the city.

[Outsider Notes: Walker's motion as a Park Commission on August 25th allowed disc golf to move forward to the City Council. His motion was to recommend option A. Had he voted differently disc golf could have been removed last month. He also voted as a Park Commissioner to support the construction of the Sherwood Forest disc golf course.]
Larry Wahl -
1.  Do you support the continued use of the highway 32 site for disc golf?
An unequivocal YES.

2.  Do you support option A of the Bidwell Park Master Management Plan update EIR as recommended by the Bidwell Park and Playground Commission?
Yes.   However I am concerned that disc golf volunteers and users will be required to do more and pay more than many other users of the park.  That would not be right and should not be allowed to happen.

3.  Have you ever played disc golf?
No.  But I support the use of a taxpayer purchased park for disc golf as well as other recreational uses.
 
Andy Holcombe -
1.  Do you support the continued use of the highway 32 site for disc golf?
Not as a matter of right. Yes, if identified needed mittigations are implemented, and funding for that implementation, and subesquent ongoing monitoring of mittigations, not done at city expense, ie not funded through General Fund or existing park and maintainance funding stream. If there are state bonding funds or grant funds the city can assist with obtaining targeted for that purpose, that is fine.

2.  Do you support option A of the Bidwell Park Master Management Plan update EIR as recommended by the Bidwell Park and Playground Commission?
See above.  It remains to be seen how identified mittigations will be implemented (eg timing and installation), nor has funding been identified and secured. Assuming that is done through an enforceable process(eg something akin to a special use permit), I support this effort towards community recreation. I do have a concern re ongoing operations regarding enforcement of rules and protection/respect for the mittigations to be implemented. Having a disc golf group self police the public course it uses is not acceptable to me. I have the same concern re the paragliding proposal. I can and do support it in principal. I don't support having the user group be self regulating. Having use of pubic space regulated by a private group is poor policy, and an inappropriate delegation of public authority.

One of the two times I was there walking the course, I was rudely accosted by other users for (apparently) getting in their way or interfering with what they felt was their right to use the public space. I have gotten letters from course users about how they like to go there for family outings(good), and let their dogs run and play with them.( Bad, ie expressly against park rules to have dogs off leash anywhere other than north of creek). I have observed, and heard many anecdotal reports, regarding alcohol use (beer), which is also expressly against park rules. Who will enforce rules?  What consequence for violations? What about enforcement/consequences re use of park when it is closed?  "Commercial use" such as tournaments?  These are not trick questions, nor unanswerable ones. They will need to be answered for disc golf to become, and stay, a community beneficial use at the highway 32 site.

3.  Have you ever played disc golf?
 I belong to the frisbee generation. I have toured the course there, and other course elsewhere. Have only played disc golf in a very rudimentary fashion.
Anne Schwab -
1.  Do you support the continued use of the highway 32 site for disc golf?
At this point, I’m undecided.  I recognize and appreciate the generous offer by the disc golf community to help pay for improvements to the site and provide volunteers to maintain the course.  However, the mitigation and monitoring costs for the courses could be quite significant.  It’s still unclear to me who will pay for these one-time and ongoing costs and what legal mechanism would be put into place to create certainty regarding funding for these costs into the future.

2.  Do you support option A of the Bidwell Park Master Management Plan update EIR as recommended by the Bidwell Park and Playground Commission?
Undecided.  See answer to question 1.

3.  Have you ever played disc golf?
Yes, but I must admit that I’m not very good at all.  Notwithstanding my inability to throw a disc more than 20 yards, disc golf is a great sport that  appeals to players of all ages.
Cynthia VanAuken -
1.  Do you support the continued use of the highway 32 site for disc golf?
Thank you for your inquiry regarding disc golf. Be assured that I do support disc golf at the highway 32 site.

2.  Do you support option A of the Bidwell Park Master Management Plan update EIR as recommended by the Bidwell Park and Playground Commission?
Would you please send me something more specific about Option A you refer to in question 2? I scanned the EIR but I was not certain about what Option A was. Again, please help me out on this one. [see notes below] I do believe that parks should be what the name refers to and that is land set aside for recreational purposes. Mother Nature is much more resilient than some people want to believe. If people can not play in a park then the name should be changed to the Bidwell Land Preserve. I don't think that is what Annie had in mind. The land on Highway 32 should not have been purchased under a guise of a park if it cannot be used as such.

3.  Have you ever played disc golf?
I have not played disc golf but find the concept very interesting.

[Outsider Notes: The information related to option A was forwarded to this candidate. No subsequent response was received]
Joe Valente -
1.  Do you support the continued use of the highway 32 site for disc golf?
Yes, I support the continued use of the Disc Golf Course on Highway 32. I believe the parks and open spaces are for the community use and should be open for the people. Disc golf is not just any sport. It stands for the ability of people in this community to recreate as they choose.

2.  Do you support option A of the Bidwell Park Master Management Plan update EIR as recommended by the Bidwell Park and Playground Commission?
When it comes to different alternatives, I do not have any problems with option A. If the people would like to have an 18 hole long course and short course then it should be a viable option. To garner my unconditional support, I would first want to make sure people wanted that option and would use it. Secondly, it must be clear how it can be paid for and what resources will be used to maintain the course.

3.  Have you ever played disc golf?
I have played disc golf about five times and admittedly I am pretty bad, but it was enjoyable and a different activity to socialize and interact with family and friends. However, this should not be an issue. Simply because I don't partake in disc golf regularly doesn't mean I don't fully support it for those in the community who greatly enjoy playing. I think as council members we need to represent the whole city and from what I have heard, 99% of the citizens want to leave disc golf. So let the people play!
Ali Sarsour -
No response to questions